[00:00:03]
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? WE HAVE SEVEN.
THERE'S SEVEN COMMISSIONERS HERE AT THIS POINT.
THIS IS CHRIS HARRINGTON AT CITY HALL.
I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD AND BEGIN.
I'VE EMAILED THE LINK TO, UH, COMMISSIONER BREMER.
SO HOPEFULLY HE'LL BE ABLE TO JOIN.
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL
[CALL TO ORDER]
COMMISSION, APRIL 7TH, 2021 AT 6:04 PM.WE'LL HAVE ROLL CALL ANDREW KRILL.
COMMISSIONER POINT HERE, HERE, COMMISSIONER BIXLER HERE.
COMMISSIONER RAMBERT, COMMISSIONER GUERRERO HERE.
COMMISSIONER BREMMER IS COMING ON BOARD SOON.
WELL, WHEN, UH, COMMISSIONER GRIMMER IS ABLE TO COME ON, WE'LL HAVE HIM INTRODUCE HIMSELF, I GUESS, AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
UM, HE'S OUR NEW COMMISSIONER WITH, UH, DISTRICT 10.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION]
AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MARCH 3RD, 2021.I MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I HEARD COMMISSIONER BEDFORD AS WELL.
I'M GOING TO HAVE HIM AS THE SECOND.
ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO THEN I'LL KNOW IN AGREEMENT, MOTION CARRIES.
[2a. Update on Kinder Morgan Permian Highway Pipeline]
HAVE SEVERAL UPDATES FROM OUR ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.UH, MR. HARRINGTON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START WITH A THANK YOU? MADAM CHAIR, CHRIS HARRINGTON, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.
SO I DO HAVE A COUPLE UPDATES BEGINNING WITH ITEM TWO, A AN UPDATE ON THE KINDER MORGAN PERMIAN HIGHWAY PIPELINE.
SO IF YOU RECALL, UM, THIS IS A 42 INCH, UH, NATURAL GAS PIPELINE TO BRING NATURAL GAS FROM WEST TEXAS DOWN TO THE GULF.
IN JUNE OF 2019 CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION, OPPOSING THE PIPELINE AND AUTHORIZING A CITY STAFF TO CON CONTRACT WITH OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS, UM, TO JOIN WITH OTHER PARTIES IN OPPOSITION TO THE PIPELINE, UM, FOR MULTIPLE THINGS, INCLUDING IN PART, UH, POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS OF THE FEDERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.
SO THAT LAWSUIT HAS EFFECTIVELY COME TO A CONCLUSION.
NOW, THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGE, UH, UH, PITTMAN, UH, HAD BASICALLY DENIED OUR MOTIONS FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION TO HALT THE PIPELINE, UM, BEFORE IT WAS CONSTRUCTED SAYING THAT NO HARM HAD YET OCCURRED THEN, UM, INSTEAD OF RULING ON THE MERITS, THE PIPELINE CONTINUED WITH CONSTRUCTION TO THE POINT WHERE NOW IT'S SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE IN THE GROUND.
AND SO SINCE IT DID CROSS THE BLINKO RIVER WATERSHED AND CROSS THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AND AN AREA KNOWN TO PROVIDE RECHARGE TO BARTON SPRINGS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, WE WEREN'T CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THE PIPELINE.
UM, HOWEVER, NOW THE JUDGE HAS GRANTED KINDER MORGAN'S MOTIONS TO DISMISS THE LAWSUIT BECAUSE THE PIPELINE IS COMPLETE SO EFFECTIVELY.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO STOP IT BECAUSE NO HARM HAD OCCURRED.
AND THEN NOW THAT THE PIPELINE IS IN THE GROUND, UM, THE LAWSUIT IS MOOT, UH, ACCORDING TO THE JUDGE.
SO WE ARE NOT SEEING MUCH IN THE WAY OF, UH, OPTIONS FOR APPEAL.
UM, WE WILL, OF COURSE CONTINUE OUR ROBUST MONITORING AT BARTON SPRINGS AND, UH, IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE GROUNDWATER DISTRICTS, UM, THE WELLS OUT IN THE RECHARGE ZONE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE AREN'T ADVERSE IMPACTS.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS PROBABLY THE CONCLUSION OF OUR LEGAL BATTLE THERE.
THAT IS ALL, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS HEARING NONE I'LL PROCEED ON THEN
[2b. Update on the Sawyer-Cleveland Partnership application for a discharge permit to the Long Branch Tributary of Barton Creek]
TO, TO BE, WE DO HAVE A FULL AGENDA, SO I'LL MOVE QUICKLY.AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN INFORMATION, UM, IN THE LOCAL MEDIA
[00:05:01]
ABOUT A NEW DISCHARGE PERMIT APPLICATION, UH, TO THE LONG BRANCH TRIBUTARY OF BARTON CREEK.SO, UH, ITEM TWO B I JUST LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE THERE THE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE SAWYER CLEVELAND PARTNERSHIP APPLIED FOR A DISCHARGE PERMIT, UM, NEAR US TWO 90 AT SAWYER RANCH ROAD.
UH, THEY WERE INITIALLY SEEKING AUTHORIZATION TO DISCHARGE APPROXIMATELY 92,000 GALLONS OF TREATED WASTEWATER EFFLUENT TO THE LONG BRANCH TRIBUTARY, WHICH IS IN THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE, UH, AND DOES FLOW INTO THE MAIN BODY OF BARTON CREEK.
UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN THROUGH OUR WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS DOES HAVE A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON ABOUT HALF OF THE SHIELD RANCH, UM, WHICH IS, DOES CONTAIN THE LONG RANGE TRIBUTARY AND, UM, SOME FRONTAGE ON BARTON CREEK.
WE'VE DONE SOME MODELING AND WE'VE DONE WATER QUALITY SAMPLING OF THE TRIB.
AND NOW THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY HAS ISSUED A DRAFT TO AUTHORIZE 45,000 GALLONS PER DAY OF DISCHARGE.
THEY DID INCLUDE, UM, RELATIVELY STRINGENT NUTRIENT LIMITS FOR NITROGEN AND PHOSPHOROUS, BUT STILL NOT ENOUGH TO PREVENT DEGRADATION OF THAT TRIBUTARY.
SO WE HAVE DONE WATER QUALITY SIMULATION MODELS.
WE DO PREDICT THAT THE IMPACT, IF THE PERMIT WAS ISSUED IN TERMS OF EXCESS ALGAE GROWTH ON THE LONG BRANCH TRIBUTARY WOULD BE, UH, UNACCEPTABLE TO US AND CONTRARY TO EXISTING COUNCIL POLICY REGARDING, UH, POSING DISCHARGE PERMITS IN THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE AND OF BARTON SPRINGS OF THE BARTON SPRINGS SEGMENT OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
SO WE ARE PREPARING A COMMENT LETTER AND WE'LL SEND THAT TO TCEQ ALONG WITH OUR MODELING.
THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DISCHARGE PERMIT ON APRIL 20TH.
SO THIS IS JUST AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING.
IF THE COMMISSION HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
THIS WILL BE A LONG PROCESS, UH, AS WE ARE USED TO, UH, THE, THESE CONTESTED CASE HEARINGS CAN TAKE QUITE A WHILE.
THE IMPACTS ARE LIMITED SOLELY TO THE LONG RANGE TRIBUTARY, ACCORDING TO OUR MODEL, THEY DON'T GO FARTHER DOWN IN THE MAIN BODY OF BARTON CREEK, BUT WE ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY INTERESTED AND WILL FULLY PARTICIPATE.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED ANY ACTION FROM THE COMMISSION ON THIS ONE, BUT WE'LL OBVIOUSLY KEEP YOU UP TO DATE, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT ITEM? I HAVE A QUESTION ONE DAY.
UM, CAUSE SINCE IT GOES UNDERNEATH THE HIGHWAY, DO YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALERT, UM, THE HIGHWAY THERE AND ASK BECAUSE I KNOW THEY HAVE RATHER STRINGENT, UM, RULES ABOUT, UM, THINGS.
SO I'M WONDERING IF, IF ANYONE HAS CONTACTED THE HIGHWAY THAT IT GOES UNDER TH THAT WOULD BE THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RIGHT AWAY, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
SO TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, NO, NO ONE HAS SPECIFICALLY CONTACTED TXDOT.
IT IS, UH, THE CULVERT UNDER TWO 90, THERE IS OF A SIGNIFICANT SIZE, CERTAINLY RELATIVE TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY A RELATIVELY SMALL VOLUME OF WATER, THE 45,000 GALLONS PER DAY.
UM, I WILL SHARE THAT WITH OUR REGIONAL CONTACTS AT TXDOT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE PERMIT OF THE DRAFT PERMIT.
I THINK IT WOULD HAVE MORE WEIGHT COMING FROM YOU GUYS THAN IT WOULD FROM ME.
AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE THIRD ITEM, JUST TO KEEP THE, UH, OH, SORRY.
WAS THERE ANOTHER QUESTION? OH, SO OUR THIRD ITEM JUST
[2c. Update on State Legislative Matters]
UPDATE ON STATE LEGISLATIVE MATTERS.SO YOU SHOULD BE GETTING REGULAR EMAILS FROM OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICER BRIEF FRANCO ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON OF LEGISLATIVE INTEREST TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN RELATIVE TO OUR COUNCIL APPROVED LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
IF YOU ARE NOT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE ADDED TO THAT LIST.
UM, JUST, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW BILLS THAT WE'VE EITHER RECEIVED QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, AND, OR ARE A PARTICULAR CONCERN.
AND SO ONE OF THESE ARE THE KIND OF WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO AS THE LAKE AUSTIN DIS ANNEXATION BILLS.
SO THIS IS HOUSE BILL 1653 BY CRADDICK, AND THE SENATE COMPANION IS SB SIX, FIVE NINE BY BUCKINGHAM.
UH, WHAT THESE BILLS WOULD EFFECTIVELY DO ALLOW ARE CERTAIN PROPERTIES IN PARTICULAR, ALONG LAKE AUSTIN.
UH, BUT OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE WITHIN THE LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION TO DESCENDANTS FROM OUR JURISDICTION, WHICH WOULD MEAN THEN THAT IN PARTICULAR, OUR LAKE AUSTIN ZONING REGULATIONS THAT PROTECT THE SHORELINE OF LAKE AUSTIN AND ARE THE MEANS BY WHICH WE REGULATE DOCKS.
UM, THOSE WOULD NO LONGER APPLY.
SO WE ARE OF COURSE, VERY INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING THESE WE'VE TESTIFIED ON THESE BILLS AT THE LEGISLATURE,
[00:10:01]
IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.UM, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED LAKE AUSTIN IS THE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY FOR OVER A MILLION CENTRAL TEXANS OR IT'S PART OF THE RESERVOIR SYSTEM THAT AUSTIN WATER UTILIZES FOR.
UH, AGAIN, A MILLION CENTRAL TEXANS, THE SHORELINE OF LAKE AUSTIN IS VALUED IN TERMS OF RECREATIONALISTS THAT IT BENEFITS ALONE AT A BILLION DOLLARS, THESE PROPERTIES ON AVERAGE, OR HAVE A PROPERTY VALUE OF ABOUT FIVE TIMES.
UM, WHAT IS THE MEDIAN HOME PRICE IN AUSTIN? SO THESE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH PRICED HOMES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING TAXES, PROPERTY, TEXAS, TO THE CITY FOR THE PURPOSES OR FOR THE PORTIONS OF THEIR PROPERTY THAT ARE FULL PURPOSE TODAY.
AND SO IF THEY'RE IN LIMITED PURPOSE, THEY CAN VOTE IN CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS, BUT THEY DO NOT PAY PROPERTY TAX.
IF THEY HAVE ANY PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY AND FULL PURPOSE, THEN FOR THAT PORTION, THEY PAY PROPERTY TAX.
SO IT CONSTITUTES ABOUT $3 MILLION OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE CONCERN HERE AGAIN IS THAT ALMOST 40% OF THE SHORELINE OF LAKE AUSTIN IS LIMITED PURPOSE.
AND SO NOT ONLY WOULD THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE FULL PURPOSE, UM, AND THAT WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY PAYING CITY PROPERTY TAX PRIOR TO 2019, NOT ONLY WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO DISCONNECT, BUT THE 40% IN LIMITED PURPOSE COULD ALSO DISCONNECT SUCH THAT OUR ZONING REGULATIONS WOULD NOT APPLY THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY DOES NOT REGULATE DOCKS ON LAKE AUSTIN.
AND TRAVIS COUNTY HAS NO EQUIVALENT RULES TO OUR LAKE AUSTIN ZONING REGULATIONS.
SO SINCE 1891, WHEN THE STATE LEGISLATURE AUTHORIZED AUSTIN TO ANNEX THESE AREAS, AND THAT IS 1891, UH, FOR THE PURPOSES OF WATER QUALITY PROTECTION, THE REST OF AUSTIN HAS SUBSIDIZED THAT UNTIL COUNCIL PASSED THE ORDINANCE IN 2019, BUT NOW THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE CONCERNED THAT SINCE THEY DO NOT RECEIVE FULL SERVICE, UH, THAT THEY COULD DISCONNECT.
SO WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THESE BILLS AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT THEM ON YOUR, THE OTHER, THE SECOND BILL THAT WE ARE PARTICULARLY WATCHING IS HOUSE BILL 1683 BY LAND GRAPH.
UH, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS ONE IN THE PAPER, THIS PROHIBITS ANYONE FROM ASSISTING THE FEDERAL AGENT IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF ANY LAW THAT WOULD REGULATE OIL AND GAS, UM, THAT DOESN'T HAVE A EQUIVALENT UNDER STATE LAW.
SO THE FEDERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT HAS A NO EQUIVALENT UNDER TEXAS STATE LAW.
AND SO OUR CONCERN IS THAT WE DO HAVE AN OBLIGATION UNDER OUR PERMIT TO OPERATE BARTON SPRINGS, THAT WE WOULD PARTICIPATE IN ANY REGIONAL ACTION THAT AFFECTS THE QUALITY OR QUANTITY OF WATER AND BARTON SPRINGS, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE OIL AND GAS JUST AS WE DID FOR THE KINDER MORGAN PERMIAN HIGHWAY PIPELINE LAWSUIT.
AND SO IF WE DID THAT, WE WOULD BE AT RISK OF LOSING ALL STATE GRANT FUNDING TO THE CITY.
SO WE HAVE TESTIFIED ON THAT BILL.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE AUTHOR CHAIR LAND GRAPH TO ADD IN SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT WOULD MAKE SURE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET OUR FEDERAL PERMIT OBLIGATIONS WITHOUT RISK OF LOSING OUR STATE FUNDING.
BUT WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT ONE, BUT IT IS ALL NOT, IT'S NOT ALL BAD NEWS.
UM, THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD BILLS THAT WE'RE WATCHING, UH, KING OF U VALLEY HAS FILED HOUSE BILL 41 46, WHICH HAS A SENATE COMPANION 1747 BY SENATOR ZEPHYR RINI.
THESE ARE REFERRED TO AS THE PRISTINE WATERS BILLS.
AND SO FOR CERTAIN HIGH QUALITY WATERS THAT WOULD INCLUDE BARTON AND ONION CREEK TCQ WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO ISSUE DISCHARGE PERMITS, UM, BASED ON EXISTING STATE DATA.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THESE BILLS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WOULD NOT APPLY TO THE SAWYER CLEVELAND DISCHARGE PERMIT THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER BECAUSE THAT PERMIT APPLICATION IS ALREADY IN, BUT FOR FUTURE PERMITS, IT WOULD PROVIDE THAT PROTECTION FROM THE DIRECT DISCHARGE OF TREATED EFFLUENT FOR THE MOST HIGH QUALITY WATERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO THAT'S SOME ENCOURAGING NEWS.
AGAIN, NOTE NO ACTION IS NECESSARY FROM THE COMMISSION, SINCE THESE ARE ALL PART OF OUR CITY'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND WE'RE COORDINATING, UH, WITH OUR NON-GOVERNMENTAL PARTNERS, UH, AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY TO INFLUENCE THESE BILLS, SUPPORT THEM OR OPPOSE THEM CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNCIL'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
I HAVE ONE QUESTION CHRIS, OR, WELL, TWO QUESTIONS.
UH, THE LAST ONE YOU TALKED ABOUT A WHATSAPP, BERNIE IS LEADING ON, IS WHAT, WHERE IS THAT BILL RIGHT NOW? DID MAKE IT TO THE COMMITTEE OR IS IT YEAH.
DO YOU KNOW? I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS SCHEDULED FOR HEARING ON MONDAY MORNING, SO THEY HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON THE HOUSE SIDE, AT LEAST.
UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, TRACY KING'S BILL WAS SET FOR A HEARING IN THE HOUSE, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS COMMITTEE ON MONDAY.
SO NOT SURE ABOUT SENATORS
AND THEN I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALSO MENTIONING WHEN WE USE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, ANY OF THE CLIMATE RELATED BILLS ON ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE ON CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UM, STEERING AND AT THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
BUT, UM, I, I DID JUST WANT TO CHECK AND SEE IF YOU KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT SB 1261,
[00:15:01]
WHICH IS THAT BILL THAT WOULD DISALLOW ALLOW MUNICIPALITIES, UM, FROM REGULATING ANY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.SO IT BASICALLY SAYS THAT THE ONLY THE STATE CAN REGULATE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
SO IT WOULD BASICALLY MAKE ALL MUNICIPAL CLIMATE ACTION PLANS, NOLAN VOID.
UM, I KNOW THAT THAT'S LEFT PENDING IN COMMITTEE, BUT DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT ONE? YES.
VICE CHAIR, A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE WAS JUST FILED FOR THAT BILL AND DAN ALEPPO IN OUR WATERSHED.
UM, LEGISLATIVE LIAISON HAS REVIEWED IT.
IT DID AMEND IT TO NOT INCLUDE INDIRECTLY.
SO THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE IN THE BILL WAS WE COULD NOT REGULATE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
SO THEY REMOVED THE INDIRECT PORTION, UM, WHICH DOES FURTHER LIMIT THE IMPACT OF THE BILL.
UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT, UH, OUR FRIENDS IN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY ARE COORDINATING WITH OUR INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE ABOUT THAT BILL.
THERE ARE SOME POSITIVE BILLS ABOUT CLIMATE PLANNING THAT AFFECT MULTIPLE AGENCIES THAT WE ARE ALSO TRACKING.
UM, THERE'S ALSO THE PREEMPTION BILL THAT WOULD PROHIBIT US FROM, UH, RESTRICTING THE NATURAL GAS CONNECTIONS, NEW NATURAL GAS CONNECTIONS.
AND SO, UH, THE, THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICERS DEFINITELY, UH, PARTICIPATING IN THOSE BILLS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE CHRIS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING, CAUSE THE DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY I THOUGHT WAS ABOUT REGULATING THE SOURCE OF ENERGY.
SO WHETHER OR NOT YOU COULD REGULATE, YOU KNOW, RENEWABLE VERSUS NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES FOR UTILITY PROVIDERS.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ONE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REGULATION.
UM, THE ONE THAT ONE I BELIEVE IS, UH, SENATOR BIRDWELLS SB ONE, TWO SIX ONE.
AND SO THAT, THAT WAS THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE.
THAT IS THE DIRECTOR INDIRECT.
THAT WAS THE INDIRECT WAS JUST REMOVED.
HI, THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER BARRETT.
FIXLER UM, CHRIS, IS THERE A GOOD PLACE TO, UM, GET THE LIST OF THESE BILLS? I THINK I MISSED THE, THE, UM, NUMBER FOR THE FIRST ONE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT AND I, I JUST DOUBLE-CHECK THE AGENDA AND I DIDN'T SEE IT NOTED IN THERE UNLESS I MISSED IT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TRACK IT AND I, UM, ABSOLUTELY NOW, OR I DUNNO, FOLLOW UP, UM, THE EMR OR DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE IT POSTED? I, I, UH, IT'S NOT POSTED, UM, THINGS ARE RELATIVELY FLUID IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, SO IT'S HARD TO DO THAT IN ADVANCE, BUT, UM, THOSE LAKE AUSTIN BILLS THAT I FIRST MENTIONED IT'S HOUSE BILL ONE SIX, FIVE, THREE BY SPEAKER CRADDICK AND SENATE BILL S SO SB SIX, FIVE, NINE BY BUCKINGHAM.
AND SO, UH, BUT WE DO HAVE A LIST OF SEVERAL HUNDRED BILLS THAT WATERSHED HAS ANALYZED.
AND I WILL ASK DANA TO SEND THOSE TO THE COMMISSION SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE FULL LIST OF BILLS.
CAUSE THERE ARE A LOT THAT WE'RE KEEPING TABS ON.
WE HAVE A LOT OF BUBBLING UP WITH THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW AND I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING US THIS DETAILED INFORMATION AND HOPEFULLY EACH MEETING YOU WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE US.
LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION
[3a. Presentation on Central Williamson Creek Greenway Vision Plan]
AND POSSIBLE ACTION.THREE, A FIRST OF ALL, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THREE A YES.
MA'AM WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS REGISTERED, TWO PEOPLE REGISTERED.
UH, DO WE WANT TO HEAR THEM NOW OR AFTERWARDS? NO, MA'AM I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE, UM, TAKE STAFF PRESENTATION FIRST AND WE'RE GETTING THEM LOADED.
SO, UH, THIS, UH, THREE A IS A PRESENTATION ON CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENWAY VISION PLAN.
I BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO RATE YOURSELF ON THIS POINT.
AND SO I'M GOING TO ADD HERE, MY VIDEO OFF I'LL BE BACK.
UM, CAN WE GET THE POWERPOINT PULLED UP PLEASE? GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS
AND WE DO THIS THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PLANNING, COMMUNITY DRIVEN RESEARCH AND SOCIAL IMPACT DESIGN.
[00:20:01]
AND IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR COLLABORATIVE WORKING GROUP MODEL, WE HAVE A FEW PRESENTERS TONIGHT WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THE CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENWAY VISION PLAN, INCLUDING TO GIBSON CONSERVATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND CITY WORKING GROUP MEMBER, STEVE PRATER, SOUTHWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, RESIDENT, AND COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP MEMBER AND CLAIRE EDELMAN, HEATH PROJECT MANAGER WITH US ACARA ROBINSON.AND TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS PROJECT IN 2017, OUR ORGANIZATION COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP WAS APPROACHED BY LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS TO SUPPORT A PROCESS THAT WOULD ENABLE RESIDENTS TO RE-IMAGINE THE GREEN SPACE ALONG CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK AS A RESILIENT, HEALTHY AND CONNECTED GREENWAY.
AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND WORKING ALONGSIDE SOUTHWOOD AND HEARTWOOD NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS, AND INDIVIDUALS, RECREATION, ADVOCATES, AND CITY DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES THROUGH AN ENGAGED PROCESS THAT CONTINUES TODAY OVER THE LAST YEAR COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP HAS FACILITATED THE CONVENING OF AN EIGHT MEMBER COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP TO BRING LOCAL VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES TO THE TABLE.
ALONG WITH THE CITY WORKING GROUP COMPOSED OF STAFF FROM MULTIPLE CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL STAFF FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
AND THE GOAL OF THIS CONVENING HAS BEEN TO BUILD LONG-TERM COLLABORATIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS.
AND NOW I'LL PASS IT OFF TO LEAH GIBSON FROM THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT WHO WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE CITY WORKING GROUP.
I'M LEAH GIBSON AND I'M A LAND MANAGER WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION.
I OVERSEE AND COORDINATE LAND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON WATERSHED PROPERTIES.
MANY OF WHICH HAPPENED TO BE BY OUTSIDES AS A PART OF MY ROLE.
I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING MANAGEMENT PLANS THAT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE OPINIONS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE BALANCING THE NEED FOR OUR DEPARTMENT TO FULFILL OUR MISSION AREAS.
WE TYPICALLY LAUNCH OUR OWN OUTREACH EFFORTS, BUT IN THE CASE OF THESE BUYOUTS, ALONG THE SEGMENT OF WILLIAMSON CREEK, WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THIS VISION PLANNING TEAM STARTING IN 2019 AND PARTICIPATING IN A PROCESS LIKE THIS, WHERE, UM, THEY'RE USING MULTIPLE STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE A COMMUNITY DURING A YEAR.
THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES FOR ENGAGEMENT HAS PROVIDED US WITH A WELL-ROUNDED COLLECTION OF FEEDBACK THAT HELPS SUPPORT OUR OWN OUTREACH EFFORTS.
AND THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO HAVE MEANINGFUL AND TRANSPARENT DISCUSSIONS WITH PARTICIPANTS ABOUT PROCESS REGULATORY OR BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS THAT MAY APPLY TO CERTAIN IDEAS OR PROJECTS THAT ARE PROPOSED IN THE PLAN.
AND WHILE WE SUPPORT THE OUTCOMES OF THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS, AND WE SUPPORT THE IDEAS PROPOSED, I DO WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT ANY, THAT ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT WILL BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTING MANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE PROPOSED AND WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE COULD VARY.
BUT WE ENCOURAGE THIS PLAN TO BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION BETWEEN CITY STAFF, NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE NEXT STEPS TOGETHER.
UM, SO I WILL PASS IT TO STEVE NEXT.
MY NAME'S STEVE
AND THIS VISION PLAN THAT WE'RE PRESENTING IS THE CULMINATION OF SEVERAL YEARS OF WORK BY NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS AND VOLUNTEER GROUPS.
THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF 58 ACRES OF PARKLAND AND 16 ACRES OF FLOODPLAIN BUYOUT PROPERTIES ALONG THE CREEK.
AND SOME OF THE TRIBUTARIES FROM MINNETONKA ROAD TO SOUTH CONGRESS ALSO WANT TO MENTION FOR THE RECORD THAT I RECENTLY STARTED A PART-TIME POSITION IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS DEPARTMENT, AND WILL BE TRANSITIONING OUT OF MY ROLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP.
SO, UM, FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, RESIDENTS HAVE DISCUSSED AND IMAGINED WAYS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THIS CORRIDOR AND MAKE IT MORE CONNECTED AND ACCESSIBLE WHERE POSSIBLE WE'VE DONE CREEK CLEANUPS, ACS INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVALS AND HOSTED COMMUNITY POTLUCKS AND NATURE WALKS TO COMMUNITY GARDENS OR ESTABLISHED IN ADDITION TO WILDFLOWER MEADOWS AND THE TOM DONOVAN TRAIL IN 2019 COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THE SOUTHWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERED WITH SEVERAL VOLUNTEER GROUPS AND NONPROFITS, WHICH INCLUDED COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP, PUBLIC GREENING WHILE THE NATURE CONSERVANCY AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR PUBLIC EVENTS WERE HELD CALLED EXPLORE WILLIAMSON CREEK, WHICH WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT AND DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES.
ALSO WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF RESIDENTS LIVING IN THE RICHMOND TRIBUTARY BUYOUT AREA TO DETERMINE PREFERENCES AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE BUYOUT PROPERTIES.
[00:25:01]
AND IN 2019, THE RESULTS OF A HEALTHY PARK STUDY WAS PUBLISHED BY THE ST DAVID'S FOUNDATION AND THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS ADJACENT TO CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK WE'RE RATED AS HIGHLY DEFICIENT AND USABLE PARKLAND.AND IN 2020, A GRANT WAS AWARDED BY THE FOUNDATION TO THE NATURE CONSERVANCY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING A VISION PLAN FOR THE GREENWAY.
AND LATER IN RFQ WAS ISSUED AND ALSO KURT ROBINSON LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS WERE BROUGHT ON BOARD THAT COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP MADE UP OF RESIDENTS ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY WERE SELECTED TO HELP ENGAGE AND GATHER INPUT FROM RESIDENTS.
THE CITY WORKING GROUP OF STAFF FROM PRIMARILY WATERSHED PROTECTION AND PARKS WERE INVOLVED IN THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS AS PART OF THE GOAL AND BUILDING LONG-TERM COLLABORATIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC LAND MANAGERS THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF WERE PLACED ON EQUAL FOOTING AS A WAY TO BALANCE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES WITH THE LOWEST POSSIBLE IMPACT TO THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT, A SERIES OF ONLINE PUBLIC EVENTS, STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES, AND INFORMAL CREEK CHATS OR HELD ONLINE AND AT SOCIALLY DISTANCE, POP-UPS WHERE YOUR PARTICIPANTS COULD PICK UP A PACK OF PRINTED MATERIALS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND AN EFFORT TO BE TRANSPARENT AND INCLUSIVE.
THE PUBLIC COULD VIEW THE PLAN AS IT EVOLVED ONLINE AND MAKE COMMENTS TO THE SOCIAL PINPOINT MAP AND VOTE ON WHICH IDEAS SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED IN THE VISION PLAN WITH CREEK IDEAL CARDS.
THE END RESULT WAS A COMMUNITY LED PROCESS WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND LOCAL NONPROFITS.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CLAIRE EDELMAN, HEATH WITH OSCAR ROBINSON.
THE SEATS SAID I'M A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WITH AFRICA AND ROBINSON, AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE CENTRILLION'S INCREASED PRECISION PLAN.
UM, IF I COULD ASK OUR HOST TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, SO WE'LL BEGIN BY, UM, JUST TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEAUTY THAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE GREENWAY.
UM, THIS IS, UH, A PHOTO FROM LAST SUMMER.
THEY'LL ADVANCE ONE MORE SLIDE, AND THIS IS ANOTHER, UM, A BIT FURTHER IN ANOTHER SECTION, THE GREENWAY, AND AS GLIMPSE SAID, SOME OF THE RIM ROCK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TO SEE, UM, THE DANCE ONE MORE PLEASE.
AND HERE'S A SHORT OUTLINE OF SOME OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT'S USED, UH, DESCRIBED, UM, AND MANY, MANY ACTIVITIES THAT WENT INTO THIS PROCESS PLACE.
AND THEN, UM, TAKING A LOOK AT THE, UH, DESIGN PROCESS.
UM, SO MOVING FROM WHAT STEVE DESCRIBED AND THEN KIND OF GIVING A VISUAL TIMELINE FROM THE LAST 10 TO 11 MONTHS, UM, WE BEGAN WITH AN IN-DEPTH SITE INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS, UH, WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY CITY AND, UM, AND ALSO KEY STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS THE NATURE CONSERVANCY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE SITE.
UM, FROM THERE WE MOVED INTO DEVELOPING FOUR GOALS.
UM, THESE ARE REALLY THE VISION STATEMENTS FOR CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENWAY.
UM, THAT PROCESS, UH, FROM THAT PROCESS AND ANOTHER MAPPING EXERCISE, WE, UM, HEARD OF OUR BEST AMOUNT OF IDEAS OR THE GREEN WAY.
WE, UM, TOOK THOSE IDEAS AND PRESENTED THEM BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
I'VE PROVIDED THEM TO THE COMMUNITY WITH LOTS OF, UM, INPUT AND HOW THAT THEY WOULD CORRESPOND TO THE VISION STATEMENT, UM, WORKING THROUGH WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND WHICH IDEAS WERE BEST SUITED FOR THE GREENWAY ITSELF.
ONCE WE HAD A CLEAR PICTURE OF THAT, THEN WE BEGAN TO APPLY THOSE IDEAS TO THE GREENWAY, TO PHYSICAL LOCATIONS.
AND FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN REFINING THAT AND REPRESENTING THAT AND TO THE FINAL VISION PLAN DOCUMENT, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO I'M TAKING A STEP BACK AND LOOKING AT OUR OVERALL AREA.
UM, WE BEGAN IN THE LAST ADMIN CHOCOLATE ROAD, JUST SOUTH OF STASSNEY AND THEN, UM, FALLING WITH THE CREEK.
WE MOVE EAST TO OUR FINAL BOUNDARY AT, UH, SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
AND WHAT WE HAVE IS A SERIES OF WATERSHED PROTECTION
[00:30:01]
OWNS FLOOD PLAIN BUYOUTS THAT HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS WELL AS, UM, PART NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.SO WHEN I SPOKE TO THE FOUR VISION STATEMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE AND CITY EARLIER ON, THIS IS WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO.
SO, UM, WE SEE THE FUTURE CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENWAY AS A RESTORED, UM, BIO DIVERSE GREENWAY, A COMMUNITY CENTER, GREENWAY AND ACCESSIBLE AND VISIBLE GREENWAY AND AN ACTIVE AND CONNECTED.
SO NOW, UM, THESE ARE THE TOP IDEAS, UH, WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THAT IDEA PROCESS, UM, UH, WE, THESE ARE THE TOP IDEAS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT SHOULD REALLY, UM, BE A PART OF THIS GREENWAY VISION.
UM, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THEY'RE COLOR CODED BASED ON THE COLOR CODING WE USE IN THE VISION STATEMENT.
UM, SOME THERE'S NOT AN EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF IDEAS THAT, UM, MANY IDEAS SERVE MULTIPLE PURPOSES, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, NATURE PLAY, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST IS, UH, KIND OF A COMMUNITY CENTERED, UH, SUPPORT, BUT IT ALSO COULD BE CONSIDERED AN ACTIVITY.
SO AT THE SECONDARY USE THAT, YOU KNOW, HELP CREATE, UM, ACTIVE LIFESTYLE THROUGHOUT THE GREENWAY TO THE NEXT PLACE.
SO NOW I'M TAKING A LOOK AT THESE IS HOW WE APPLIED THE IDEAS AND CONCEPTS TO THE OVERALL VISION PLAN.
UM, BEGINNING AGAIN AT MIN CHAPA ON THE LOCK SCREEN AND MOVING INTO SOUTH CONGRESS AT THE RIGHT.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT MANY OF THE IDEAS ARE REPEATED.
SO THERE'S MULTIPLE INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE THROUGHOUT NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES TO GET TO ENGAGE WITH THE GREENWAY AS WELL AS, UM, THREE MILES OF TRAIL AND A MOUNTAIN BIKE NETWORK AND A ON-STREET BIKE LANES THAT ALSO SERVE AS POTENTIAL HIGH WATER ROUTES DURING THIS.
UM, THINKING OF IMPLEMENTATION, WE'VE SEPARATED THE, UH, PROJECTS INTO THREE TIERS.
THESE TIERS ARE BASED ON, UM, THE IDEAS THAT I'VE SPOKE TO.
SO, UM, TIER ONE, UH, CONSISTS OF COMMUNITY LED COLLABORATIONS WITH THE CITY, UM, TIER TWO, OUR CITY, UH, CITY LAND OWNER PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE $50,000 OR LESS.
AND SOME OF THEM HAVE A COMPONENT FOR COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND VOLUNTEERISM.
AND FINALLY TIER THREE ARE, UM, MUCH LARGER SCALE PROJECTS, $50,000 INVOLVED.
AND THOSE FOCUS ON CONCEPTS LIKE LAND ACQUISITION ON THE ON-STREET BIKE LANES AND LARGE SCALE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE IF YOU LOOK AT THE DISTRIBUTION, WE'VE LISTED OUT WHICH IDEAS ALONG AND EACH YEAR, AND WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE MAJORITY OF THE IDEAS BEING IN TIER ONE TO HELP BRIDGE THAT CONTINUE THAT COMMUNITY AND CITY COLLABORATION ADVANCED TO THE NEXT PLACE.
UM, SO CONTINUING ON THIS TOPIC OF IMPLEMENTATION, UH, OUR EVALUATION OPINION ON PROBABLE COSTS WITH A VERY AFFORDABLE PLAN, PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF THIS GREAT, UH, VOLUNTEERISM AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN ASPECT OF THE PLAN.
SO OVERALL, UM, VALUE IS JUST ABOVE $2 MILLION, UM, WITH ALSO POTENTIAL AND THAT DOESN'T FACTOR IN POTENTIALS FOR GRANTS, UM, SUPPORT FROM A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, AND, UM, SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
FINALLY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABLE ASSETS, UM, ONE PIECE THAT WE'VE TRACKED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS IS A POTENTIAL FOR THIS PROJECT TO BE A SUSTAINABLE SITE, WHICH IS, UM, ONE OF THE KIND OF, UM, FAST CERTIFICATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, SHOWING OR DEMONSTRATING A SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE WITHIN A PROJECT.
SO THE VISION PLAN RIGHT NOW MEETS PRECERTIFICATION AND IT'S IMPLEMENTED, UM, WE FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE IN THE GOLD AND PLATINUM RANGE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, JUST TO FURTHER SUPPORT IT WITHIN THE VISION PLAN DOCUMENT WE'VE INCLUDED, UM, AN APPENDIX THAT CAN, UH, HAS MATERIALS AND PLANTS CRITERIA TO HELP BE A GUIDELINE FOR LARGE AND SMALL PROJECTS.
UM, MOVING FORWARD, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
UM, NOW, UH, WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSIONS.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE A FINAL PHOTO CREDIT TO SEE IF WE WENT OUT DURING OUR RECENT WINTER STORM TO GET THIS BEAUTIFUL, UH, NOEY PHOTO OF THE GREENWAY QUESTIONS.
[00:35:01]
YES.HI, COMMISSIONER BARRY BIXLER.
UM, MY QUESTION IS WHAT WERE THE, UM, WAS THERE, UH, KIND OF AS BIG A SINGLE, LIKE LARGEST CONCERN FROM THE COMMUNITY, IF THERE WERE COMMUNITY CONCERNS, LIKE, DID YOU FIND A PATTERN OR I WOULD JUST, JUST CURIOUS IF THE COMMUNITY HAD ANY LIKE OBJECTIONS OR CONCERNS TO THIS, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT PROJECT.
SO, UM, WE HA WE HAVEN'T HAD, UH, IN TERMS OF CONCERNS FROM THAT IN THE BEGINNING, LIKE, UH, OR IT CONCERNS FOR FEEDBACK FROM THE FINAL, UH, FINAL PIECE OR KIND OF WHERE WE ARE NOW, I GUESS, THANK YOU A LITTLE TOO.
UM, IN AT LEAST IN THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UH, WE HEARD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND CONCERNS AROUND INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ALONG THE CREEK.
SO WE, UH, CONNECTED WITH THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION, WHICH IS A LOCAL ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS TO SUPPORT UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS AND PROVIDE SERVICES, AND ALSO WORKS WITH THE CITY, UM, ON, ON PART IN WATERSHED LAND.
AND THEY CONNECTED US WITH SOMEBODY WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING ONTO THE COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP, UM, AS OUR COMMUNITY MENTOR AND IN THAT PROCESS SINCE, UH, AND INVOLVING PEOPLE IN THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS.
SO WE WORKED WITH TO, TO GET ACCESS TO RESOURCES, TO PARTICIPATE IN, UH, OUR, WHEN, SINCE WE HAD TO DO EVERYTHING VIRTUALLY, UM, THEY HAD THE FACILITIES TO, UM, PROVIDE FOR THEM TO JOIN IN ON THE VIRTUAL CONVERSATIONS.
AND WE CONTINUED TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM, HOPING THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION, UM, WE CAN CONTINUE PARTNERSHIP AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMPLEX ISSUE.
IT'S HARD TO ADDRESS, AND IT TAKES EVERYBODY IN OUR DIFFERENT ROLES TO TRY TO, TO PROVIDE COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS AROUND THIS.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT CAME UP IN OUR ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT CONTINUES TO, TO BE DISCUSSED.
SO, UM, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH, UH, PARTNERS AND CITY FOLKS AND, UM, PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
CHAVONNE UM, I'VE HAD, SORRY, MY, I THINK MY AUDIO WASN'T VERY GOOD EARLIER, BUT I WOULD AGREE THAT'S THE TOP, UH, ONE OF THE TOP CONCERNS, I THINK, UM, OKAY.
LET ME IS, UM, THERE ARE A FEW AREAS WHERE WE HAVE, UM, PROPERTY THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE EDGE OF THE CREEK.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE ADDRESS THAT TO MAINTAIN CONNECTIVITY OR THE, THE HIGH WATER ROUTES I SPOKE TO, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO FEEL CONNECTED, UM, REGARDLESS, YOU KNOW, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT AND FUTURE IN THE FUTURE, IF WE CAN, THERE ARE ACQUISITIONS AND EASEMENTS THAT MAKE FULL CONNECTIVITY POSSIBLE AND THOSE SHORT STRETCHES, BUT WE WANTED TO PROVIDE IT REGARDLESS.
UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS AND I GUESS THEY ARE ALONG THAT TOPIC.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST POINT OUT SOME THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO CONSIDER WHEN THEY ARE GOING FORWARD WITH THIS.
AND I THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
NUMBER ONE, UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO CONSIDER CLEAN WATER, UH, VERSUS THE HOMELESS AND THE PARKS, THERE ARE COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THAT.
UM, IF PEOPLE ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE PARK, UM, IF THERE'S FLOODING, IT COULD CREATE A VERY BAD EMERGENCY.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF LIKE LAKE AUSTIN WITH THE BLUE-GREEN ALGAE, WHERE THE DOGS CAN'T SWIM, IT'S HARMFUL.
I KNOW THAT WE ALL KNOW THAT WHEN YOU GO TO BARTON SPRINGS, THEY SAY CERTAIN DAYS YOU CAN'T SWIM BECAUSE THERE'S A HIGH COUNT OF ECOLAB.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE CAMPING THERE HAVE, UH, THE BENEFIT OR THE LUXURY OF KNOWING THAT PERHAPS THE CREEK ISN'T WHERE THEY SHOULD BE AT THAT TIME.
UM, I KNOW THAT I READ IT AND I UNDERSTAND THE RESETTLEMENT ISSUES WITH THE HOMELESS AND THE LOSS OF THEIR CLOTHING AND SO FORTH.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO WEIGH THAT AGAINST THE VS OF THE LOSS OF HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE, BECAUSE I KNOW IN MY PARK WE HAD A HERD OF DEER, WHICH WE NO LONGER HAVE BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE KILLED THE DEER FOR FOOD.
[00:40:01]
NEEDS TO BE IN A BALANCE.AND I AM NOT SPEAKING AGAINST THE HOMELESS.
I'M SAYING NUMBER ONE FOR FLOODING AND FOR WATER QUALITY.
UH, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NO IDEA.
THEY DON'T HAVE AN EMAIL THAT WE CAN SEND TO THEM.
SO IF YOU WERE GOING TO SAY THAT IT'S OKAY FOR PEOPLE TO CAMP THERE, ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY? IF THERE IS A FLOOD FOR THEM TO NOT KNOW THAT THEY ARE SAFE? SO WE, AND IF THE CREEK, UM, IF SO MANY PEOPLE CAN'T NEAR THE CREEK THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS DEGRADATED, UM, WE, WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE SOME OF THESE THINGS OUT AND, UM, ALSO THE LOSS OF HABITAT FOR THE WILDLIFE.
SO THOSE ARE THREE ISSUES THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER.
AND YOU DO NOT, HOPEFULLY HEAR ME SAYING THAT I AM AGAINST PEOPLE, UH, HAVING A PLACE TO LIVE, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE FOR THEM TO BE SAFE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S ON CITY PROPERTY.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS JUST AS A COMMISSIONER? RICK, I HAVE A CONCERN REGARDING, UH, FLOODING ALONG THE CREEK, UM, HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE IN THE BULL CREEK AREA THAT, UH, FLASH FLOODS, UH, HAVE DESTROYED PREVIOUS IMPROVEMENTS THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE CITY ALONG THE PARKS.
AND, UH, IN REVIEWING MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED.
I SEE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE REALLY ADJACENT TO THE CREEK AND COULD BE AT RISK IN THE CASE OF A FLASH FLOOD.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE POURING A LOT OF, UH, EFFORT AND MONEY INTO THIS TYPE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, ARE GOOD AND EVERYTHING, BUT, UH, I'M CONCERNED ADEQUATE, UH, ATTENTION HAS NOT BEEN PAID TO THE FACT THAT, UM, THESE IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE WASHED AWAY WITH THE NEXT HEAVY RAINSTORM THAT MIGHT COME OUR WAY THIS SPRING OR IN THE FALL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, HOW DO I MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CONCERNS HAVE BEEN AGGRESSED? AND THIS GETS BACK TO THE, UH, THE HOMELESS CONCERNS EARLIER, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE LIVING NEAR THE CREEK, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN THEY BE ADEQUATELY INFORMED IN CASE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, A FLASH FLOOD, UH, EVENT THAT MIGHT COME ALONG? THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THOSE POINTS.
IF I MAY, I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT.
UM, WE, UH, AS FAR AS, UH, INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ALONG THE GREENWAY, UM, WE, UH, ON BEHALF OF COMMUNITY POWERED WORKSHOP, FACILITATING THIS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, BELIEVE THAT IT'S MORE OF A SYSTEMS ISSUE RATHER THAN AN INDIVIDUALS, UH, ISSUE.
AND IT'S MOVING PEOPLE FROM PLACE TO PLACE ISN'T PART OF THESE SOLUTION.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS VISION PLAN CAN STILL PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE ON WHAT MAY WORK.
AND, UM, SO IN REGARDS TO SAFETY OF PEOPLE ALONG THE GREEN WAY, WE TALKED ABOUT, CAN THERE BE A SYSTEM WITH WHETHER SIGNAGE OR, UH, LIKE RAISING A FLAG THAT A FLASH FLOOD IS ABOUT TO OCCUR? UM, BECAUSE YES, PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO RESOURCES, UH, AND COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE DO IN OUR, IN OUR PRIVILEGED POSITIONS.
SO, UM, CAN THERE BE A SYSTEM TO PROVIDE SAFETY FOR ALL? IT IS A COMPLEX CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT THE MORE THAT WE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT BE FEARFUL AND HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND, AND JUST FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS FROM THE CITY SIDE, THE COMMUNITY SIDE, UM, YOUR ROLES AS COMMISSIONERS AND, AND SUPPORTING SOME OF THESE IDEAS IN THE VISION PLAN, THAT ADDRESS SOLUTIONS, THEN, THEN HOPEFULLY THAT CAN, UH, START TO OPEN UP SOME AVENUES FOR, FOR REAL SOLUTIONS.
I HAVE ONE, BUT IS THERE ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE HAVE NOT MADAM CHAIR, WE ALSO HAVE TWO REGISTERED SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM WHENEVER YOU WISH TO TAKE.
UM, WHAT I'M WONDERING, AND I TRIED TO LOOK AT THAT MAP, AND I GUESS MY EYES ARE BLOWN EVEN WITH BIFOCALS, BUT WHAT I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT IS HOW MANY MILES OF TRAIL FOR THE MOUNTAIN BIKES THAT Y'ALL WERE PLANNING.
AND ARE THERE ANY TRAILS GOING INTO ANY OF ANY SENSITIVE AREAS OF THE CREEK? AND I WANTED TO KNOW HOW Y'ALL ARE GOING TO, HOW ARE THE
[00:45:01]
WALKING TRAILS IN THE MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS GOING TO INTERACT? UM, ABSOLUTELY.SO WE HAVE, UM, I GUESS WE, WE SEPARATED THE MOUNTAIN BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN TRAIL, UH, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DISTINCT FROM EACH OTHER AND WE RECOMMENDED, UM, SIGNAGE TO INDICATE, UH, ALSO THEY'RE SEPARATE NETS, UM, JUST TO HELP PROTECT THE CLASHES THAT CAN HAPPEN.
UM, ALL OF THE TRAILS ARE, UH, UH, WE, WE HAD A REALLY WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND THAT IN CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ALONG THE GREENWAY WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION AND WE INCLUDED A 50 FOOT BUFFER, UM, AWAY FROM THOSE THOUGH.
UM, THEY'RE THE ONLY TWO CIRCUMSTANCES I BELIEVE, UH, WITHIN THE VISION PLAN WHERE WE LOOKED AT, UH, ASKING FOR NATURE TRAIL OR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO GO CLOSER THAN 50 FEET TO THOSE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES, BUT OTHERWISE, UH, THEY THEY'RE ALL SET BACK FROM THERE.
UM, BEFORE WE GO TO OUR SPEAKERS, THE LAST THING I DO WANT TO COMMENT ON IS THAT I DID READ AN EMAIL EARLIER TODAY FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP THAT, UM, WANTS TO CONTINUE TO BE INCLUDED WITH THIS PROCESS AND HEARING ALL OF THIS BRIEFING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL ARE CONTINUED THIS INCLUSIVENESS WITH NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
AND SO OF COURSE, WE JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT TO, TO PROCEED SO WE CAN NOW GO TO OUR SPEAKERS.
UM, CHRIS, HOW WE BRING THE SPEAKERS ON? YES, MA'AM, WE'LL GET THEM LOADED.
MICHAEL FOSSUM YOU'LL BE FIRST AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
ONE MOMENT, I GUESS, MICHAEL, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNMUTE AND BEGIN SPEAKING.
I'M WITH THE AUSTIN HERITAGE TREE FOUNDATION, AND I LIVE IN SOUTH AUSTIN IN THE BATTLEBORN SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WOULD ASK THAT YOU PLEASE DELAY APPROVAL OF THE PLAN AND ASSIGN IT TO THE TREE GROUP OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE COMMISSION FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
THE DELAY IS NECESSARY TO ADDRESS POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE TO THE CREEK.
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE CONCERNED.
THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BY A PARD PLAN OR NOT DAN WILLIAMS, PARDON NATURE TRAIL GROUP MANAGER.
WE HAVE MET WITH MS. WILLIAMS ON PROPOSED TRAILS IN THE WILLIAMSON CREEK GREEN BELL, AND THE GUIDELINES WE RE REVIEWED WITH HER WOULD NOT RESULT IN THE CURRENT PLAN.
IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, IT IS PROPOSED TO USE THE DRY CREEK BED AS PART OF THE TRAIL.
THIS CAN DEGRADE THE CREEK MOUNTAIN BIKERS LOVE TO GO OFF TRAIL.
SO YOU'D SOON SEE TRAILS BRANCHING OFF THE CREEK BED CAUSING EROSION.
THE TRAIL SHOWS MULTIPLE PATHS AND LOOPS A SINGLE TRAIL WOULD BE SUFFICIENT WITHOUT CROWDING OUT WILDLIFE AND PRESERVE GREENBELT AREA AND CREEK BANKS, MOUNTAIN BIKING AREAS, AND ATTRACTED NUISANCE.
AS THE MOUNTAIN BIKERS ARE WELL-KNOWN FOR RIDING FAR OUTSIDE DESIGNATED AREAS, DESIGN THE TRAIL TO KEEP USERS ON THE DESIGNATED TRACK.
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AMENITIES SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS OR FLOOD PLAIN AREAS.
RATHER, THIS WAS A DISASTER, A HORSESHOE FALLS ON BULL CREEK IN 2013 AMENITIES AND THREE HERITAGE TREES THAT HAD BEEN RECENTLY AREA WERE WASHED AWAY BY A FLOOD THAT WAS INTENSIFIED BY THE CHANGES THAT HAD BEEN MADE, CHANGING CLOTHES AND CREEKS CAN HAVE, HAS SEVERE CONSEQUENCES.
UNLESS THERE ARE QUESTIONS FOR THAT SPEAKER.
WE CAN MOVE TO OUR SECOND SPEAKER ZOLA VEGA.
YOU WILL ALSO HAVE THREE MINUTES, SO YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNMUTE AND SPEAK.
I, WE LIVE RIGHT CAUSE THE EAST OF WHERE THE PLAN AND WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE HAD CONTACT TEAM CALLED EAST CONGRESS TEAM.
AND WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PLAN AND WERE VERY UPSET ABOUT IT BECAUSE WHATEVER HAPPENS AS A TEAM IS GOING TO AFFECT US DOWNSTREAM.
WE ALSO HAVE BEEN IN A LOT OF COMMUNICATION IN THE PROCEDURES WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF SASS, WITH HARDWOOD, AND THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE VERY INTERESTED ON THE ACTIVITIES ON THE CREEK.
UH, NEIGHBORHOODS ARE OPPOSED TO A LOT OF EXCESSIVE TRAILS, MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS, AND LICK CREEK.
SO WE HAVE NEVER BEEN INCLUDED.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING UNTIL YESTERDAY.
I THINK I'M ASKING THAT YOU PLEASE DELAY THIS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE PLAN.
WELL, THAT'S WHY YOU MEAN MORE THAN ANYTHING.
IT'S, THAT'D BE WORRISOME THIS SALES FOR YEARS, SINCE 2014, I WAS A MEMBER OF THE URBAN
[00:50:01]
TALES CITIZEN ADVISORY GROUP IN MY STUDY, ALL THE ISSUES.THOSE WERE URBAN SALES WITH CONCRETE, BUT THOSE ISSUES ARE SIMILAR WITH NATURE TRAILS.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE MAINTAINED BY VOLUNTEERS.
THEY'RE ALL OVER THE CREEK LIST.
NOT JUST ONE SALE IS TRAILS WITH CIRCLES AND FEEDERS.
THEN THEY SEND THAT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STEEP SLOPE.
IT'S NOT A MATTER OF JUST LOOKING FOR THE CES.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT
THE GREENBELTS COULD BE GREEN GREENWAYS, BUT IT HAD TO BE A BALANCE WITH WILDLIFE AND TREES.
WE TALKED TO DAN WILLIAMS AND SHE SAID, NO, ALL THESE NATURE TRAILS GO THROUGH SOME GUIDELINES.
AND THOSE GUIDELINES ARE, WE TRIED TO JUST HAVE ONE TRAIL.
WE DON'T GO ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TREE.
REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE GOING TO BE MAINTAINED BY VOLUNTEERS FOR SLOT.
YOU HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN.
BUT WHEN HE GETS WASHED OUT, ALL OF THAT STUFF GOES DOWNSTREAM AND DAMAGES ALL THE TREES ALL THE WAY WITH ALL THE ROCKS AND EVERYTHING.
SO IT AFFECTS US AND WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED, BUT WE HAVE NO IDEA.
SO PLEASE GIVE US A CHANCE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THIS PLAN.
NOT LATER BECAUSE I KNOW THE STORY VERY WELL.
THEY'RE SAYING, OH YES, THIS IS JUST THE FOOTPRINT.
AND IT'S GOING TO CHANGE AS TIME GOES BY.
I KNOW THIS IS THE BASIS OF THE PLAN AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS.
SO PLEASE ALLOW US TO HAVE SOME COMMENTS OR DON'T APPROVE IT TODAY.
MAY I, I WOULD, MAY I SPEAK, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO GET HER CONTACT INFORMATION SO THAT WE, WE MAY, UH, BE ABLE TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH OUTREACH AND I APOLOGIZE THAT WE NEED, UM, WE'RE NOT IN COMMUNICATION ON THAT.
WE, UH, WITH THE PANDEMIC HAD LIMITED CAPACITY ON SOME OF OUR OUTREACH AND NOT BEING ABLE TO VISIT THING PEEP ORGANIZATIONS IN PERSON.
UM, AND WE DID LOSE A CRITICAL PARTNER WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY DUE TO BUDGET CUTS WITH COVID-19.
UM, SO NOT EXCUSING THAT AT ALL.
UH, I THINK THAT NONE OF THIS IS SET IN STONE AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE MOVING FORWARD.
AND WE'LL SAY THAT IT DID INCLUDE, UM, THE SOUTH AUSTIN COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND SOUTH EAST COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN ALONG WITH OTHER CITY-WIDE PLANS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREENWAY VISION PLAN.
UM, SO IF I CAN SOMEHOW GET, UH, HER CONTACT INFORMATION, UM, THEN WE CAN SEE HOW, WHAT FEEDBACK CAN BE SHARED AND, UM, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD.
UH, COULD YOU ALSO MENTION YOUR TIMELINE, WHAT WHAT'S NEXT, YOU'RE AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SO THAT, UH, THESE CITIZENS KNOW HOW QUICKLY THIS IS MOVING FORWARD.
SO NEXT WE PRESENT AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD ON APRIL 27TH.
UM, THIS IS FOR REVIEW THAT COMMISSION, UH, BOARD MEETING IS FOR ADOPTION.
UH, AND THEN FROM THERE IT'S MOVING FORWARD WITH IDEAS AS THE COMMUNITY WANTS THROUGH THIS, WE'RE OFFERING A COMMUNITY GRANT TO SUPPORT SMALL IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS FROM TIER ONE.
AND THOSE WILL BE LIKE, CLAIRE WAS TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY LED, VOLUNTEER LED WITH COLLABORATION, WITH LAND MANAGERS AT THE CITY.
UM, SO THAT THAT'S THE, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, UH, NEXT STEPS.
UM, BUT WE DO WANT TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL VOICES ARE HEARD AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT OVERSIGHT.
UM, WE DEFINITELY HAD A LEARNING CURVE IN TRYING TO PIVOT EVERYTHING VIRTUALLY AND, UH, AND WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO STAY IN TOUCH MOVING FORWARD AND, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO ADD, UH, SOMETHING IF I CAN.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT, UM, WE, WE WILL REQUIRE, UH, FOR ANYTHING ON OUR PROPERTY FOR, FOR THAT, UH, THOSE PROPOSALS TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER ROUND OF ENGAGEMENT, UM, AND OBTAIN MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, WE DID MAKE SURE DURING THIS PROCESS THAT PARTICIPANTS WERE AWARE OF THE PROCESSES REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE AND THAT, UM, THESE ARE IDEAS THAT WE'LL THEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH, UM, A PROCESS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE CERTAIN CONSTRAINTS AND WE MIGHT HAVE TO, UH, DO SOME INTENSE, SOME CONSULTING WITH THE FLOODPLAIN OFFICE TO GET SOMETHING TO WHERE IT IS ACTUALLY, UM, APPROPRIATE, UM, IN A CERTAIN, ON A CERTAIN PROPERTY.
AND SO, UM, PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTING ANYTHING, UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT'S KNOWN THAT WE WILL BE
[00:55:01]
FOLLOWING THOSE PROCESSES AS WELL.I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WOULD ADD, UH, UM, UH, MARIO CAN TOO.
I THINK THAT'S WHO YOU WERE REFERRING TO.
LINDA, YOU SENT US AN EMAIL, UM, HE'S WITH THE SOUTH CONGRESS COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM, AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE ON YOUR LIST OF PEOPLE TO, UM, BE INFORMED OF THE PROGRESS AND MADE AWARE OF THE PLAN, PLEASE.
I REACHED OUT TO HIM, THANK YOU FOR, UH, MAKING THAT AWARE, MAKING US AWARE OF THAT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, COMMISSIONERS, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, AND THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, W WE COULD, I COULD SUPPORT THIS.
IF WE SAY SOMETHING TO THE FACT THAT BETWEEN NOW AND THE 27TH, THAT THE, UM, A WORKSHOP OR, UH, UH, A SESSION WITH SPECIFIC PEOPLE THAT FELT THEY'D BEEN LEFT OUT IN THE PROCESS THAT THEY, UM, SOMEHOW CONTACT THEM AND GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ENSURE THAT, THAT THE CITIZENS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM PHIL INCLUDED IN THIS SCOPE OF WORK.
UH, AND THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF THAT COULD HAPPEN PRIOR TO THE PORK'S BOARD MEETING, BUT COMMERCIAL THOMPSON, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION ONE MORE THING.
I KNOW A LOT OF THESE PLACES ARE IN FEMA FLOOD PLAIN.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE RULES.
SO WE ARE ON AGENDA ITEM THREE, A, UH, IT'S A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONERS.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH DECIDING I'M SURE I HAVE A MOTION THAT'S UNDER PRESS RIGHT NOW.
UM, LET'S, LET'S GIVE YOU A MINUTE TO CRAFT SOMETHING WHEN YOU'RE READY.
AND MADAM CHAIR, WE JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR NEW COMMISSIONER BRIMMER HAS JOINED US, AND HE'S BEEN HERE FOR THIS ITEM, BUT JUST TO NOTE THAT THANK YOU AND CORN IS CHOOSING.
UM, I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU'RE READY.
RIGHT ON AGENDA ITEM THREE, A CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENWAY VISION PLAN.
BUT AS OUR MALL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES, THE CENTRAL WILLIAMSON CREEK PROJECT TEAM HAS BEEN DEVELOPING A VISION PLANS TO JUNE, 2024, THE WILLIAMSON WILLIAMSON CREEK BETWEEN MEN CHAKA ROAD AND SOUTH CONGRESS IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE DRAFTS INCLUDES THREE TIERS OF ENGAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENT FROM TIER ONE, WHICH ARE COMMUNITY LED TIER TWO, WHICH ARE CITY OF AUSTIN PROJECTS, LESS THAN $50,000 AND TIER THREE, WHICH ARE CITY OF AUSTIN PROJECTS, MORE THAN $50,000.
UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER RECOMMENDS SUPPORT CONTROL WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENWAY VISION PLAN WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
I HAVE THREE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE SOUTH CONGRESS COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM BE INVOLVED IN FUTURE STUDIES, INPUT FEEDBACK, AND WORKING GROUPS RELATED TO THE WILLIAMSON CREEK GREENBELT.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS REACHING OUT TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF THIS SECTION OF WILLIAMSON CREEK.
AND TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT, PRACTICABLE MEETING WITH THESE GROUPS PRIOR TO THE PARKS BOARD LATER THIS MONTH, AND THE THIRD ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT TRAILS AND IMPROVEMENTS AVOID TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE CES, AND 50 FOOT SETBACKS AROUND THESE FEATURES.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? YOU HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BEDFORD.
ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'M GOING OUT INTO ROLL CALL COMMISSIONER KRILL.
A MOTION CARRIES ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX.
[01:00:01]
US TONIGHT.WE'RE HAPPY YOU HAVE JOINED US COMMISSIONER, UH, BREMMER, AND WE WILL GET A LITTLE SHORT INTRODUCTION TO YOU AT THE END OF THE MEETING BEFORE WE ADJOURN TONIGHT.
[3b. Watershed Protection Department’s Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Forecast and Capital Improvement Program Plan]
WE HAVE NEXT, UH, ITEM THREE, B WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENTS, FISCAL YEAR 2021, 2022 FORECASTS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PLAN.DO WE HAVE SOMEONE TO PRESENT THAT GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR? MY NAME IS
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE GOING TO PULL UP THE PRESENTATION AND I, ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF TEAM MEMBERS WILL PRESENT THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
ARE WE MET? READY? MADAM CHAIR? YES, PLEASE PROCEED.
WELL, GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
I KNOW WE HAVE A BUSY AGENDA, SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GO THROUGH OUR PRESENTATION PRETTY QUICKLY.
SO I'M GOING TO DO A QUICK OVERVIEW.
I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK YOU PROVIDED US LAST YEAR, WHEN WE PRESENTED THE
I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THE MEETING, BUT I WATCHED THE MEETING AND THE FEEDBACK WAS VERY VALUABLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK.
AND TONIGHT WE LOOK FORWARD FOR THE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK YOU WILL PROVIDE US.
UH, EARLIER THIS MONTH, WE MET WITH SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, PREVIEWS UP, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
WE GOT SOME FEEDBACK FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'M GOING TO GO RIGHT INTO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THE COMMISSIONERS ASKED US TO COVER, AND I'M GOING TO COVER THE HIGH LEVEL OF FOCUS ON THE BUDGETARY STANDPOINT, BUT AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, WE'LL TAKE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT TO ASK US AS WELL.
UH, AFTER THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO A
AND SHE'LL ALSO SHARE WITH YOU THE
SHE'LL TURN IT OVER TO ERIN WOOD.
WHO'S GOING TO PRESENT ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH SHE'LL SHARE SOME PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AND SOME RESOURCES WITH YOU AS WELL.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION, WE'LL BE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THE FIRST QUESTION THAT WE WERE ASKED, UH, WHEN WE HAD OUR MEETING WAS A WINTER STORMS THEORY, URI, AS WE KNOW, THIS WAS A STORM, A WINTER STORM EVENT THAT UNLIKE ANY OTHER THAT WE HAD EXPERIENCED AND THE QUESTION WASN'T WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THEY HAD ON OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, AS IT RELATES TO, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS, UM, PRETTY MUCH THAT WEEK OF THE STORM EVENT, UH, THE WHOLE CITY SHUT DOWN AS WE ALL KNOW.
AND SO NONE OF OUR PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD DURING THAT WEEK, CAUSE EVEN CONTRACTORS COULDN'T MOVE FORWARD, BUT A FOLLOWING, UM, THE, THE MAIN PART OF THE WINTER STORM CONTRACT CONTRACTORS WENT BACK TO WORK.
AND SO WE, WE SAW MINIMAL IMPACT ON OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS SO FAR, UH, AS IT RELATES TO OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, UH, WE DID REDIRECT OUR STAFF FOR THE MOST PART TO ASSIST, UH, WITH THE RECOVERY AND ASSIST WITH THE DISASTER RELIEF.
ALSO DURING THE STORM AND AFTER THE STORM, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATERSHED STAFF HAVE VOLUNTEERED, AND WE'RE PROUD TO SEE THAT WORK JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY.
MANY OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS, INCLUDING MYSELF, WERE DEALING WITH EMERGENCY OF THEIR OWN, RIGHT, BUT ANYBODY THAT WAS ABLE AND WILLING DID, UH, HELP OUT THROUGHOUT THE WINTER STORM EVENT.
SO WE HAD OVER 189 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ACCUMULATED OVER 9,000 HOURS VOLUNTEERING DURING THE RECOVERY PROCESS.
SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT UPDATE IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT, EXPLAIN THE QUESTION THAT WE HAD WAS RELATED TO THE COVID AND THE IMPACTS ON PROJECT DELIVERY.
AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'VE BEEN IN THIS, UH, REMOTE WORK MODE FOR OVER A YEAR AND INITIALLY OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND ALL OF THE CITY PROCESS, AS A, AS A WHOLE, WE PAUSE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THIS? COVID 19, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DEAL WITH IT? WE DID MOVE TO REMOTE WORKING IN MARCH OF 2019, 2020.
AND INITIALLY, UH, THERE WAS A SLOW DOWN, BUT AS, UH, CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS WERE DEEMED ESSENTIAL WORKERS, UH, THANKS TO THE PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC PUBLIC WORKS.
WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ADVANCE OUR CIP PROJECTS.
SO MANY OF OUR PROJECTS THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD IN CONSTRUCTION DURING THE PANDEMIC, AS IT RELATES TO IN HOUSE PROJECTS, OUR DEPARTMENT A HALF, OUR DEPARTMENT HAS A FIELD OPERATIONS GROUP THAT DOES IN-HOUSE PROJECTS, SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED PROJECTS, UH, THAT HAS HAD AN IMPACT, UH, COVID HAS HAD AN IMPACT AS WE'VE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THE PANDEMIC AND KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES SAFE.
WE DID STOP MANY OF THOSE IN-HOUSE PROJECTS.
[01:05:01]
SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON PRIMARILY IS THOSE PRIORITY CALLS THAT WE GET THROUGH THREE, ONE 11, OR IN RESPONSE TO YOUR EMERGENCIES THAT ARE COMING UP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.SO THOSE INCLUDE EROSION REPAIR AND PIPE CONSTRUCTION TYPE PROJECTS.
WE'VE HAD SOME EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO SOME STORM INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONTRACTORS, WE'VE MADE SOME REPAIRS TO THAT AND WHERE WE CAN, WE HAVE OUR CREWS ASSISTING AS WELL, BUT OVERALL, THE LARGER PROJECTS THAT WE WERE DOING, IN-HOUSE, WE'VE OPTED TO PUT ON HOLD BECAUSE IT WOULD REQUIRE LARGER GROUPS OF CREWS WORKING TOGETHER.
AND WE DO HAVE COVID PROTOCOLS IN PLACE AND PUT A LOT OF PROCEDURES IN PLACE.
AND OUR CREWS HAVE CONTINUED TO ASSIST AND PROVIDE SUPPORT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST FIELD OPERATIONS, JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE HAVE STILL RESPONSE.
AND WE HAVE MANY TEAM MEMBERS IN WATERSHED ACROSS THE BOARD THAT CONTINUED TO REPORT TO THE FIELD TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS AS A DEPARTMENT.
SO, SO IS THAT IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT LINE, PEOPLE YOU'VE BEEN SEEING HOMELESSNESS, OBVIOUSLY THAT CONVERSATION, YOU JUST HAD IT ON THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT'S A PRIORITY FOR THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT IN THIS SLIDE, I'M SHARING SOME INFANT FINANCIAL INFORMATION.
SO AS, AS IT RELATES TO 2020, THE IMPACTS OF COVID, UH, WERE FELT INITIALLY WHEN THE CONTRACTOR THAT WAS HELPING US WITH THE ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS NOTIFIED US, THAT THEY DID NOT FEEL THEY DID, COULD CONTINUE WITH THE CLEANUP, UH, EFFORTS UNDER THIS COVID MODE.
AND SO WE TERMINATED THAT CONTRACT, UH, IN THE FALL, WE HAD AN EMERGENCY CONTRACT WITH ANOTHER, UM, ENCAMPMENT CLEAN-UP CONTRACTOR THAT WAS ABLE TO HELP US THROUGH THE, UH, THROUGH NOVEMBER.
AND, UH, WHILE WE PUT ANOTHER CONTRACT OUT FOR BID, THAT CONTRACT HAS BEEN PUT OUT, WE SELECTED A CONTRACTOR, IT WAS AWARDED BY COUNCIL AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT CONTRACT.
SO I THINK, AND KEVIN CLEAN CONTRACT IS A $460,000 IN THE INTERIM.
WE ADDED ADDITIONAL, UH, CONTRACT AUTHORITY TO OTHER CONTRACTS, LIKE THE TWO THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH, OR WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE, AND CABIN CLEANUP CONTRACTS.
AND SO WE HAD PRIORITY AREAS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO OUT THERE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE'VE HAD BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE HAVE 20 IDENTIFIED HIGH PRIORITY AREAS IN OUR DEPARTMENT THAT WERE DONE THROUGH A PROCESS OF EVALUATING RISK.
UH, AS EARLIER DISCUSSED FLOOD WASTE IN THE FLOOD, PLAIN ARE CONCERN TO US IF THERE'S ENCAMPMENTS IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THEY'RE AT RISK AND WE HAVE TO RE RE RELOCATE THEM AND WORK WITH SOCIAL SERVICES TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THEM AS PART OF THE PROCESS AS WELL.
AND I KNOW IN THE PAST, WE'VE PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION, HOW WE DOING CHEMICAL AND, AND WATERSHED.
SO WE'RE STILL FOLLOWING THAT PROTOCOL, UM, LAST WEEK.
UH, SO LAST, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE'VE COLLECTED OVER 188 TONS OF DEBRIS AS PART OF OUR INCOMING CLEANUPS.
WE'RE SHOWING AN IMAGE HERE OF A BEFORE AND AFTER, AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE SERIES.
SEE WHAT WE DO THEN, AND AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, UM, THAT'S CHANGES AND EVOLVES WITH TIME.
SO WE MAKE CLEAN ONE MONTH AND WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK, UH, FREQUENT AT CERTAIN FREQUENCY TO KEEP IT CLEAN.
SO WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT LIFE.
ANOTHER QUESTION THAT ALSO WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER IS THE, HOW HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOMS AND ZEBRA MUSSELS SINCE 2019, THIS IS A NEW PHENOMENON THAT WE STARTED DEALING WITH.
AND SO I'M SHARING WITH YOU SOME INFORMATION, FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UT WE'VE SPENT ALMOST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THEY HELPED US TO IDENTIFY THE TOXINS AND, AND ANALYZE IT, UH, WORKING WITH LCRA, THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY.
WE'VE ALSO USED THAT FOR WATER QUALITY TESTING AND THAT, AS WE KNOW NOW, THIS YEAR, WE'VE SEEN, UH, THE, UH, ALGAE BLOOMS IN OTHER PARTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS, OUTSIDE OF, UH, LADY BIRD, LAKE, OR LAKE AUSTIN.
AND SO THAT'S GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH OTHER ENTITIES AS WELL.
AND TOGETHER, OUR SCIENTISTS ARE COLLABORATING TO SEE HOW WE CAN START FINDING SOLUTIONS TO, TO THESE PHENOMENON THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.
SO THE LAST CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE, IT'S ALMOST 300,000 IS TO HELP US IDENTIFY US SOLUTIONS, UH, THROUGH FALSE LOG, UH, TO, UH, HOW WE CAN START SEQUESTERING THIS ALGAE OR, UH, DEALING WITH THE TOXIN IN A SAFE MANNER.
AND SO MORE TO COME ON THAT AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
AND IF THE RELEASE TO ZEBRA MUSSELS, WE, OUR SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER ENTITIES, OTHER DEPARTMENTS LIKE THE WATER UTILITY.
AND SO FAR, WE SPENT ABOUT 150 IN SAMPLING SUPPLIES THAT WE USE FOR THAT PROCESS.
IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT LINE ON THIS SLIDE, I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY TURN IT OVER TO A NEW BUS.
SO THAT'S GOING TO HELP PRESENT, UH, THE BUDGETARY PART OF OUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN HEAR ME OKAY.
I'M NOT ON VIDEO BECAUSE I AM WORKING THROUGH A BROWSER.
I'M THE CHIEF FINANCIAL MANAGER AT WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, AND I WILL BE BRIEFING YOU ABOUT THE WATERSHED'S FIVE-YEAR OPERATING FORECAST, AND THEN AARON WOOD WHO'S OUR PRINCIPAL PLANNER
[01:10:01]
WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PLAN DETAILS.SO, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF OUR DEPARTMENT'S MISSION AND ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE, OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1991, AND IT WAS CHARGED WITH THE GOAL OF MANAGING THE CITY'S CREEKS DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND WATER QUALITY.
OUR MISSION IS TO PROTECT LIVES PROPERTY AND THE ENVIRONMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY BY REDUCING THE IMPACT OF FLOODS, EROSION AND WATER POLLUTION.
OVER 95% OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM THE DRAINAGE CHARGE, WHICH YOU SEE ON YOUR UTILITY BILLS.
OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING INCLUDE BONDS THAT ARE USED FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, DEVELOPMENT, FEES, INTEREST INCOME, AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME GRANTS.
UM, I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THE BOND FUNDING IS FOR MULTIPLE YEARS WHEN I SAY 95% OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM DRAINAGE CHARGE.
THAT IS THE FUNDING THAT IS USED TO PAY OUR ONGOING OPERATING NEEDS FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AND THEN PART OF THE FUNDING IS TRANSFERRED TO, UH, FOR OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
OUR CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE IS DRIVEN BY OUR MISSION.
AND SO WE HAVE THREE, WE HAVE A DIVISION FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION, WATER, QUALITY PROTECTION, AND STREAM RESTORATIONS.
THESE THREE GROUPS WORK ON PROJECTS FOR OUR THREE MISSIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATERWAYS MAINTENANCE DIVISION ALSO KNOWN AS FIELD OPERATIONS, WATERSHED POLICY, AND PLANNING SUPPORT SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES, FINANCE SAFETY, AND WATERSHED EDUCATION.
WE HAVE DATA MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS OUR ID, AND THEN FINALLY A CAPITA PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, WHICH PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR CAPITAL PROJECT DELIVERY AND ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE.
SO BEFORE I PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF OUR FORECAST, UM, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT WHAT HAVE, HOW WE DID LAST YEAR IN FISCAL YEAR 2020.
OUR BUDGET WAS 103.8 MILLION, BUT WE ENDED UP SPENDING SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THAT AT 98.2 MILLION.
I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, UH, CITIES CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS STILL FINALIZING THAT NUMBER OF 98.2 MILLION.
THERE MAY BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS REQUIRED BECAUSE OF, UM, GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
BUT SO THERE MAY BE A SLIGHT VARIATION UP TO APPROXIMATELY A MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THAT, THAT SHORTFALL OF 5.6 MILLION FROM 100, 3.8 TO 98.2 WAS BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF COVID ORDER OF STAY-AT-HOME WORK.
SAVE ALL OF THE AREA AREAS THAT I HAVE LISTED HERE ON THE TABLE ON THIS SLIDE WERE IMPACTED.
WE HAD TO HOT SOME OPERATIONS LOW DOWN IN SERVICES.
AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE WERE SOME DELAYS IN HIRING AS WE ADJUSTED TO THE NEW WORK ROUTINES, AND IT TOOK SOME TIME TO RAMP UP THAT HIRING AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES OVER THE SUMMER.
SO THAT, THAT IMPACT, UM, DID SHOW UP.
AND I WILL BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT IN THE NEXT SLIDE, HOW THAT AFFECTED, UM, THE IMPACT ON A RATE INCREASE.
SO THIS CHART SHOWS THAT IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, UM, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY HAD EXPENSES BELOW OUR REVENUES SINCE 2015, THE EXPENSES ARE IN THE RED AND THEN, UH, REVENUES ARE IN THE BLUE.
AND, UM, AS A RESULT OF THAT, OUR FUND BALANCE HAS BEEN GROWING AND WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY NEED TO INCREASE OUR RATES.
IN FACT, OUR UTILITY CUSTOMERS HAVE NOT SEEN A RATE INCREASE SINCE THE NEW DRAINAGE CHARGE WENT INTO EFFECT IN 2015.
UM, WE BEGAN TO NOTICE A SLOWDOWN IN OUR DRAINAGE FEE REVENUE IN, IN FISCAL YEAR 2019.
SO THE RATE OF GROWTH OF REVENUE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN IN FISCAL YEAR 2019, EVEN BEFORE COVID IN FISCAL YEAR 2020.
WE SAW A DEFINITE DIP IN OUR REVENUES, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SLOWDOWN IN DRAINAGE REVENUES, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OUR INTEREST INCOME DECLINED.
UM, BUT AS I MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, OUR EXPENSES ALSO DECLINED.
SO AS A RESULT, WE ARE STILL IN A GOOD POSITION.
AS FAR AS FUND BALANCE IS CONCERNED AND NEED TO RAISE OUR RATES IMMEDIATELY.
HOWEVER, AS THE CITY OPENS UP, HIDING FIX UP FACE, WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
OUR EXPENSES WILL INCREASE AND BEGIN TO FOLLOW THE REGULAR TREND IN FISCAL YEAR 21, WE ESTIMATE THAT WE WILL SPEND A LITTLE, A BIT APPROXIMATELY 104.7 MILLION WITHOUT A RATE INCREASE.
WE WILL EXPECT A SLIGHT DIP IN OUR REVENUES IN THE COMING YEAR.
WE WILL HAVE SUFFICIENT FUND BALANCE TO COVER THESE EXPENSES FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
BUT AS OUR FUND BALANCE DECLINES, WE WILL NEED TO RAISE OUR RATES.
AT THIS RATE, WE ARE PROJECTING FOR OUR FORECAST SUBMITTAL THAT WE WILL INCREASE OUR RATES IN FISCAL YEAR 2023.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER SLIDE THAT SHOWS OUR FIVE-YEAR REVENUE FORECAST.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN FISCAL YEAR 22, UM,
[01:15:01]
THERE IS A VERY SMALL INCREASE IN DRAINAGE FEE, UH, REPRESENTED BY THE BLUE BAR.UH, BUT WE, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF INTEREST INCOME LIKE WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, WE ANTICIPATE OUR OVERALL OVERALL REVENUES TO COME IN LOWER THAN, UM, REVENUES FOR FISCAL YEAR 21 BUDGET IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
OUR REVENUE JUMPS AS WE INCREASED OUR RATES BY APPROXIMATELY 9.8%.
UM, FISCAL YEAR 23 WILL BE OUR EIGHT YEARS SINCE THE FIRST CHANGE IN RATES FOR OUR DRAINAGE.
NOW THIS SLIDE SHOWS, UM, OUR FIVE-YEAR FORECAST EXPENSES BY EXPENSE CATEGORY.
FIRST, THERE'S ONLY A LITTLE OVAL OVER 1% INCREASE IN OUR FISCAL YEAR 22 FORECAST OVER OUR FISCAL YEAR 21 BUDGET AT ABOUT 108.6 MILLION SECOND, BASED ON OUR CURRENT EXPENSE TRENDS AND HIRING PHASE, UH, WE EXPECT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SPEND ABOUT 104.7 MILLION BY THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 21.
THIRD, OUR CIP TRANSFER, UM, IS CONSISTENT YEAR ON YEAR AT 35 MILLION PER YEAR.
FINALLY, THE LARGEST INCREASE IN THE FISCAL YEAR 21 TO 22 IS IN PERSONNEL COST, UH, WHICH IS AN ACCOUNT OF OUR NEW STAFFING PLAN, WHERE WE ARE REQUESTING 34 NEW NEW EMPLOYEES, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES FOR FISCAL YEAR 22, UM, TO EXPEDITE OUR PROJECT DELIVERY, WHICH IS A SPECIFIC PRIORITY OF THE FLOOD MITIGATION TASK FORCE ENSURE MAINTENANCE OF OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO PROVIDE CORE SUPPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT IN LINE WITH THE EXPECTED GROWTH.
UM, WE BELIEVE THESE POSITIONS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR WATERSHED TO MAINTAIN ITS CONTINUED HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO REALLY QUICKLY, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WITHIN A WATERSHED THAT ARE REQUESTING THE POSITIONS.
34 POSITIONS ARE REQUESTED IN FISCAL YEAR 22, 13 AND 23 AND NINE AND 24 FOR A TOTAL OF 56 POSITIONS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
UM, I WOULD PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL OF WHAT THESE POSITIONS ARE FOR IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS BROADLY THE TYPES OF POSITIONS THAT ARE REQUESTED AND THE AREAS THEY WILL BE WORKING IN.
THERE ARE EIGHT POSITIONS AND FIELD OPERATIONS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE AND DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS WORK, FIVE ENGINEERING POSITIONS FOR CAT SUPPORT, ASSET MANAGEMENT REVIEWS AND RSM PEER REVIEWS, FIVE PROJECT OR PROGRAM POSITIONS SUCH AS PROJECT COORDINATOR POSITION FOR P THREE P FOUR CAPITAL DELIVERY PROJECT PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM AND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS AND PROGRAM MANAGER.
FOR OUR EQUITY PLAN, WE HAVE FOUR ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR FIELD OPERATIONS IN LIGHT OF THE REALIGNMENT AT WATERSHED, UM, ID GEOSPATIAL POSITIONS FOR WORKING ON DATA QUALITY CONTROL OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND FOR HELPING WITH TD INSPECTION OF OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEMS. WE'RE ALSO REQUESTING TWO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, EACH FOR WORK-RELATED TO STREAMLINING OF OUR BUSINESS PROCESSES FOR PERFORMING REVIEWS AND INSPECTIONS OF PUBLIC INFORMATION AND ENGAGEMENT AND IN FINANCE FOR MAINTAINING OUR SERVICES AND OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE WORK WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AND CONTRACTS MANAGEMENT AND PURCHASING NEXT SLIDE.
UM, THIS IS THE SUMMARY OF OUR FORECAST SUBMITTAL UNDER OUR CURRENT PLAN, UM, FINANCIAL POLICIES.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A RESERVE OF ABOUT 30 DAYS IN OUR FUND BALANCE.
IF, UM, IF OUR SPENDING FOLLOWS THE TRENDS WE HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER, UM, WE WILL CROSS THAT RESERVE LIMIT IN FISCAL YEAR 23, IF WE DON'T RAISE OUR RATES.
SO THE RATES INCREASE IN RATES ARE 9.8% IN FISCAL YEAR, 23, 4.6 AND 24.
AND THEN THE INCREASE IS CLOSER TO ONE TO ONE AND A HALF IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS, THAT INCREASE TRANSLATES TO $2 AND 6 CENTS FOR, UM, A SINGLE FAMILY MEDIAN MEDIAN SIZE HOME IN AUSTIN.
AND THAT $2 AND 6 CENTS IS OWED TO FISCAL YEAR 2026.
SO, SO FIVE YEARS DOWN THE LINE, UM, AS A SINGLE FAMILY, MEDIAN SIZED HOME IS ONE WHICH HAS A 37%, UH, AND 3,100 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
NEXT SLIDE, UM, OF THE TOTAL, UH, FISCAL YEAR 22 FORECAST OF 108.6 MILLION 48%, OR ABOUT 52.4% OF 52.4 MILLION IS IN TRANSFERS.
UM, OF WHICH 35 MILLION, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED IS THE DEPARTMENT'S TRANSFERRED TO IC THAT RCIP BUDGET.
UM, THE REMAINING TRANSFERS GO TO OUR DEBT SERVICE INTERDEPARTMENT CHARGES AND THEN ACCRUED PAYROLL, UM, THAT IS CHARGED BY THE BUDGET OFFICE TO ALL DEPARTMENTS NEXT.
[01:20:01]
UM, 56.2 MILLION, UH, ONCE THE TRANSFERS ARE OUT IS ALLOCATED BETWEEN PROGRAMS AS SHOWN IN THE CHART.THE BIGGEST SHARE IS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATERWAY MAINTENANCE OR FIELD OPERATIONS AT 42%, WHICH HAS OVER HALF THE NUMBER OF TOTAL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN THE DEPARTMENT, THE OTHER CORE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FLOOD RISK REDUCTION, WATER QUALITY PROTECTION, STREAM RESTORATION, AND CAPITA PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ACCOUNT FOR 33% SUPPORT SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR AND COMBINED COST OF THE DEPARTMENT WIDE PROGRAMS IS 17% AND THEN DATA MANAGEMENT AND WATERSHED POLICY AND PLANNING ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 8%.
SO BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO ERIN WARD FOR THE CAPITAL PLANNING PROGRAM, I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE A CAVEAT THAT THIS FORECAST WAS BASED ON WHERE WE WERE IN JANUARY.
AFTER WE SUBMIT OUR FORECAST, WE GO THROUGH A DETAILED LINE BY LINE REVIEW OF OUR BUDGET, AND WE WILL BE SUBMITTING OUR FINAL BUDGET TO OUR CORPORATE BUDGET OFFICE ON MAY 7TH.
SO THERE WILL BE SOME SLIGHT CHANGES IN THE NUMBERS.
I SHOULDN'T SAY SLIGHT, THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES IN THE NUMBERS, HOPEFULLY NOT VERY SIGNIFICANT THAT WE WILL FIND THIS SUBMIT FOR OUR, UM, UH, FISCAL YEAR 22 BUDGET.
SO WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL CERTAINLY BRING THOSE NUMBERS TO YOU WHEN ONCE IT'S SUBMITTED, UH, WITH THAT, I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO ERIN TO GO OVER OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PLAN DETAILS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY, EXCELLENT.
I'M A PRINCIPAL PLANNER, I'M IN OUR WATERSHED PLANNING GROUP WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AND I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING TONIGHT ABOUT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AS WELL AS OUR FIVE-YEAR APPROPRIATION PLAN FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, BASED ON THE PRESENTATION WE GAVE LAST YEAR AND THE GREAT FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT FROM THE COMMISSION.
WE WANTED TO TAKE A QUICK STEP BACK AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM AND HOW WE PRIORITIZE PROJECTS AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ARE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR WATERWAYS AND OUR FACILITIES.
THEY TYPICALLY HAVE A HIGHER PRICE TAG AND A LONGER LIFESPAN THAN ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OR IN-HOUSE PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
SO THE WAY THAT WE IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE OUR SOLUTIONS IS LAID OUT IN OUR WATERSHED PROTECTION STRATEGIC PLAN.
IT DEFINES HOW WE CALCULATE PROBLEM SCORES AND PRIORITIZE OUR PROBLEM AREAS FOR EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENT MISSIONS, FLOOD RISK REDUCTION AND EROSION CONTROL AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTIONS.
UM, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF THAT PLAN IS A WORST PROBLEMS FIRST APPROACH.
UH, SO LOOKING AT WHERE THE NEEDS AND RISKS ARE GREATEST, UM, AND CONSIDERING THOSE FIRST FOUR SOLUTIONS IMPLEMENTATION NEXT SLIDE.
THE PLAN ALSO EMPHASIZES THAT OUR DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS MULTIPLE WATERSHED PROBLEMS THROUGH OUR PROJECTS, AS WELL AS ADVANCING COMMUNITY GOALS AND MINIMIZING ANY NEGATIVE IMPACTS ACROSS OUR MISSION.
SO MAKING SURE YOU'RE THE WATER QUALITY PROJECT ISN'T HAVING AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON FLOODING OR VICE VERSA.
AND SO OUR DIFFERENT MISSIONS WORK TOGETHER, UH, TO TRY AND INTEGRATE ALL OF OUR, UM, MISSIONS AND PRIORITIES INTO EVERY CAPITAL PROJECT THAT WE DO TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS THAT GO INTO, UM, WHICH SOLUTIONS WE'RE IDENTIFYING AND BRINGING FORWARD, UM, TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY, THE OVERALL TIME OF IMPLEMENTATION, OUR ABILITY TO PARTNER WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UM, DEVELOPMENTS OR AGENCIES.
AND SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE CONSIDERED DURING PROJECT EVALUATION.
AND SO WE DON'T ALWAYS GO STRAIGHT DOWN, UM, OUR TOP 20 LISTS OF HERE'S THE WORST PROBLEM.
HERE'S THE NEXT FIRST PROBLEM.
UM, DUE TO SOME OF THESE OTHER FACTORS, WE MIGHT TAKE UP A PROBLEM.
THAT'S A LITTLE LOWER DOWN THE LIST BECAUSE WE HAVE A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY, OR IT MIGHT BE FASTER TO IMPLEMENT THAN SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH A LONGER FEASIBILITY AND PRELIMINARY ENGINEER THAT BASE NEXT SLIDE.
SO OUR CURRENT PRIORITIZATION THAT IS LAID OUT IN THAT STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS FIRST ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2001 IS BASED ON TECHNICAL RISK AND SEVERITY.
I WANTED TO TOUCH QUICKLY ON EQUITY.
YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE HAVING A MUCH MORE IN-DEPTH BRIEFING FROM OUR EQUITY COORDINATION TEAM AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON HOW TO INCORPORATE SOCIAL DATA INTO OUR PROJECT PRIORITIZATION AND SELECTION OF ALTERNATIVES, UM, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DISPARATE COMMUNITY IMPACTS THAT WATERSHED PROBLEMS CAN HAVE, UM, AND LOOK MORE AT A SOCIAL RISK AND NOT JUST TECHNICAL RISK AND THE ABILITY OF COMMUNITIES TO RECOVER FROM SHOCKS AND STRESSORS.
[01:25:01]
UM, AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS OUR OTHER CITY PARTNERS TO DEVELOP A PROPOSAL ON THAT AND IMPLEMENT THOSE CHANGES TO PRIORITIZATION AS PART OF OUR UPCOMING COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT IS KICKING OFF LATER THIS YEAR.SO WHEN YOU'VE ALREADY TOUCHED ON THIS, SOME OF OUR DIFFERENT SOURCES OF FUNDING, BUT I WANTED TO BREAK DOWN, UM, ON THE CAPITAL SIDE, WE HAVE THAT ANNUAL TRANSFER OF $35 MILLION FROM THE DRAINAGE UTILITY FUND.
UH, WE ALSO RELY SIGNIFICANTLY ON, UH, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
THE MOST RECENT OF WHICH WERE PASSED IN 2018.
UH, WE HAVE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING OR TIF FUNDING, UM, THAT IS USED FOR OUR WALNUT CREEK DISTRICT WORK.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF GRANTS OF ALL THROUGH FEMA AND A RECENT GRANT, UH, FROM THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD TO HELP WITH OUR FLOOD PLAIN STUDIES.
UM, AFTER THE ATLAS 14, UH, RAINFALL WORK, WE ALSO HAVE SOME DEVELOPMENT FEES THAT COME THROUGH.
WE HAVE OUR REGIONAL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, OUR S AND P, UH, THAT COMES FROM PAYMENT IN LIEU OF ONSITE FLOOD MANAGEMENT.
WE HAVE THE URBAN STRUCTURAL CONTROL FUND, WHICH IS A SIMILAR PAYMENT IN LIEU OF ON-SITE WATER, QUALITY CONTROLS FOR DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MITIGATION FUNDS THAT WERE SET UP THROUGH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION ORDINANCE.
UM, WE HAVE OUR RIPARIAN ZONE MITIGATION FUND THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH FLOOD PLAIN MODIFICATION, UM, AS WELL AS SOME MITIGATION FUNDS IN THE BARTON SPRINGS ZONE AND OUR WATER SUPPLY WATERSHEDS, UM, THAT ARE USED AS PART OF THE REDEVELOPMENT EXCEPTION.
UH, SO THESE ARE ALL DIFFERENT SOURCES THAT WE USE IN OUR PROJECTS.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU A BREAKDOWN AND A LITTLE BIT OF THE DIFFERENT PERCENTAGES THAT COME FROM THOSE.
AND SO GOING INTO THAT, UM, WE LAY OUT OUR FIVE-YEAR APPROPRIATION PLAN, UH, TO LOOK AT OUR PROJECTED CAPITAL NEEDS, UM, IN OUR EXISTING FUNDS AND ANTICIPATED REVENUES.
SO BASICALLY HOW MUCH MONEY WE ALREADY HAVE, HOW MUCH IS COMING IN, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE AND PLAN, UM, OUR CAPITAL PORTFOLIO.
UM, SO WE LAY OUT THAT FIVE-YEAR PLAN, BUT THEN THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR IN THIS CASE, UH
UM, A NUMBER OF THEM WE CLASSIFY AS MULTI OBJECTIVE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE OUR FLOODPLAIN STUDIES, UM, SMALL PROJECTS THAT COVER A VARIETY OF MISSIONS AND ASSET MANAGEMENT NEEDS AROUND TOWN, AS WELL AS PARTNERSHIPS, UM, WITH THINGS LIKE THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM OR THE WALNUT CREEK DISTRICT.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE 19 BOND PROJECTS IN THE PLAN, UM, 18 OF WHICH ARE STORMWATER AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION PROGRAM, UH, THAT WAS ALSO FUNDED THROUGH THE 2018 BONDS.
HERE'S A MAP OF THOSE PROJECTS.
UM, THE WHITE DOTS ARE ACTIVE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON THAT ALREADY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FULL FUNDING AND ARE NOT REPRESENTED IN THE FIVE-YEAR APPROPRIATION PLAN.
UH, THE GREEN PROJECTS ARE, ARE THE GREEN DOTS ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE ASKING FOR NEW FUNDING AND A FIVE-YEAR PLAN.
UM, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY ONGOING PROJECTS THAT HAVE COMPLETED EXISTING BASIS.
AND THEN THE ORANGE DOTS ARE BRAND NEW PROJECTS THAT ARE REQUESTING FUNDING FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO AT THE WORKING GROUP MEETING, UM, A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A REQUEST FROM THE COMMISSIONERS TO SHOW THAT SAME MAP, UM, WITH AN OVERLAY OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AREAS.
UM, WE HAD SOME INTERNAL DISCUSSION ABOUT WHICH DATA SET TO USE.
AND SO, UM, FOR THIS SLIDE, WE'RE USING THE SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX, WHICH IS A DATA SET DEVELOPED BY THE CDC, UM, USING CENSUS DATA.
AND SO IT HELPS, UM, IDENTIFY COMMUNITIES THAT NEED SUPPORT DURING HAZARDOUS EVENTS, UM, BASED ON A NUMBER OF, UH, ECONOMIC FACTORS, RACE FACTORS.
UM, SO THE FACTORS AND OTHER THINGS I WORK CURRENTLY ACTIVELY WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS TO DETERMINE THE BEST DATA TO USE GOING FORWARD, UH, TO DO A MUCH MORE IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACTS OF OUR PAST WATER SETS, WATERSHED SOLUTIONS AND OUR PLANNED WATERSHED SOLUTIONS FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'LL SPEAK.
THEY CAN SPEAK TO MORE AT THE UPCOMING MEETING THAT OUR EQUITY TEAM, UH, IN THE PRESENTATION THEY'LL BE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS THAT BREAKDOWN, UH, BY FUNDING SOURCE.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND
UH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK COMING FROM OUR BOND FUNDS, AS WELL AS SOME OF THOSE OTHER DEVELOPMENT, UH, THESE THAT I MENTIONED AND OUR TIF FOR THE WALNUT CREEK DISTRICT, NEXT SLIDE.
[01:30:01]
BY MISSION, UM, THIS JUST SHOWING OURUM, SO THE HATCHED AREAS ARE SHOWING BRAND NEW MONEY, SO MONEY THAT'S COMING.
UM, FOR INSTANCE, FROM THAT $35 MILLION TRANSFER THAT WE GET, UH, FOR CAPITAL PROGRAMS AND THE UNHATCHED IS, UH, EXISTING FUNDS THAT THE PROJECTS OR THE MISSIONS ALREADY HOLD AND ARE NOW PUT INTO USES A MAJOR, YOU KNOW, $15 MILLION OR $15 MILLION CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE GOING FORWARD THIS YEAR.
UM, SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF EXISTING AND NEW FUNDS, UH, FOR EACH OF THESE.
AND AGAIN, WITH THAT MULTI OBJECTIVE CATEGORY, THAT'S LOOKING AT, UH, PARTNERSHIPS AND MULTI-MISSION PRODUCTS.
SO THIS, THESE ARE THOSE, UH, PROJECTS FROM
SO WE HAVE 19% THAT ARE IN PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, UM, ABOUT A QUARTER MOVING INTO DESIGN, UH, 31% MOVING INTO CONSTRUCTION AND
UM, SO, UH, THINGS LIKE REPAIRING AND RESTORATION, UM, OR OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WANTED TO JUST WALK THROUGH A COUPLE PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS, UM, FOUR MAJOR THINGS WE HAVE GOING FORWARD IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO IN THE PLAN.
UM, THIS IS A PICTURE TAKEN BY NEIGHBORS DURING A FLOOD EVENT, UM, IN THE OAK ACRES, OAK PARK, FLOOD RISK REDUCTION AREA OUT IN BARTON CREEK.
UM, AND WE'LL BE MOVING INTO CONSTRUCTION AND
THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE CURRENT LOW WATER CROSSING AT MCNEIL DRIVE UP IN THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED.
THIS IS CURRENTLY, UM, GOING THROUGH DESIGN AND WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH A GROWING FORWARD TO CONSTRUCTION, AND
THIS IS A PICTURE FROM THE WEST BOLDEN NEIGHBORHOOD DURING A FLOODING EVENT, UM, WHERE OUR DEL CORTO STORM BRING IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD AGAIN, UH, TO CONSTRUCTION AND FYI TWENTY-TWO, UM, ALSO AT 2018 BOND PROJECT, UH, TO ADDRESS A SEVERE LOCALIZED FLOODING.
NEXT SLIDE, I TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THE, YOU KNOW, OUR DIFFERENT MISSIONS AND INTEGRATE THEM INTO PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO THIS, UH, PROJECT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.
THIS ORIGINALLY BEGAN AS AN EROSION PROJECT, UM, IN THE LITTLE CREEK ALONG THE JAMESTOWN TRIBUTARY, AS YOU CAN SEE, OH, IT'S, I'M IN FAIRLY BAD SHAPE AND IN NEED OF SOME STREAM RESTORATION AND STABILIZATION, BUT IN WORKING WITH OUR OTHER MISSIONS, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO INCORPORATE SOME LOCALIZED FLOOD, UM, STORM DRAIN IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS A LOW WATER CROSSING UPGRADE.
UM, SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO COME BACK TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE'RE GETTING THAT ALL AT ONCE AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
SO THAT WILL ALSO BE MOVING FORWARD TO CONSTRUCTION.
I MENTIONED ALSO OUR PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'RE DOING, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF COST PARTICIPATION, UH, THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, BUILDING INTO OUR PLAN, UH, WORKING WITH THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM OFFICE ALONG THE MOBILITY CORRIDORS IS THEY'RE STARTING TO IMPLEMENT ON THEIR WORK FROM THEIR 20, THEIR MAJOR 2016, UH, CORRIDOR BOND AND TRANSPORTATION BOND.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH THEM TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO UPGRADE BOTH STORM DRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE, AS WELL AS WATER QUALITY.
UM, SO THIS IS A PICTURE FROM BRODY LANE AND BLAMED CANNON WHERE THERE'S A SERIES OF VERY OLD, UNDERGROUND VAULTS THAT YOU CAN SEE OUR CREWS ARE WORKING HARD THERE TO LIFT THE TOPS OFF OF AND SEE ALL KIND OF THE TRASH AND MUCK THERE UNDERNEATH.
AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE CORRIDOR OFFICE TO PARTNER TO CONVERT THOSE INTO RAIN GARDENS AND SOMETHING MORE BEAUTIFUL.
THE CORRIDOR IS ALSO MUCH EASIER FOR OUR STAFF TO MAINTAIN EXCITED.
THIS IS A PICTURE FROM THE VIRTUAL, FOR THE CUTTING, UH, FOR THE UNVEILING OF THE SISTER IS AT RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE UPPER WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED.
THIS IS PART OF OUR ONGOING RAIN CATCHER PROGRAM.
UM, THAT'S IMPLEMENTING SMALL SCALE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE UPPER PART OF THAT WATERSHED, UM, AND ALONG WITH THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND SO THAT'S, UM, AN ONGOING PROJECT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE IMPLEMENTED, UM, IN
[01:35:01]
UM, A SERIES OF CONTRACTORS THAT IS ABLE TO HELP US IMPLEMENT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE SMALLER THAN A CAPITAL PROJECT.THAT'S BIGGER THAN OUR IN-HOUSE CREWS, UM, HAVE TIME TO HANDLE OR CAPACITY TO HANDLE.
AND SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THOSE, UH, THE, UM, I'VE BEEN DEVELOPED ACROSS THE CITY AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT YEAR AFTER YEAR.
SOME OF THESE EMERGENCY REPAIRS, UH, SOME OF THEM HELPING REPAIR COMPANY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS IS A RENDERING FROM THE WALNUT CREEK DISTRICT DISTRICT CREEK DELTA PROJECT.
UH, THE WATERLOO PARK IMPROVEMENTS ARE WRAPPING UP AND THE CREEK DELTA PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION IN
UH, THIS IS DOWN AT THE MOUTH OF A WALNUT CREEK, UM, WITH SOME DEPTH FUNDING, BUT ALSO A HALF.
THE AMOUNT OF THAT TIP FUNDING THAT I MENTIONED NEXT SIDE, THIS IS THE LAST HIGHLIGHTED PROJECT.
UM, OUR WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS, OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION PROGRAM, UM, THAT CONTINUES TO WORK TO, UM, SPEND, UH, THE 2018 BONDS FOR, UH, THAT PROGRAM OF, TO DATE WE'VE ACQUIRED, UH, ALMOST 1700 ACRES WITH THE 2018 BONDS.
I THINK THERE'S ANOTHER A HUNDRED ACRES MOVING FORWARD SOON AS, UM, WE'VE SPENT ABOUT $31 MILLION SO FAR.
AND SO THAT ADDS INTO THE LARGER PORTFOLIO OF THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS WITH SOME OF THESE RECENT ACQUISITIONS.
I BELIEVE WE WERE ABLE TO GET ABOVE THE 30,000 ACRE MARK FOR THAT PROGRAM.
SO THAT WAS AN EXCITING MILESTONE.
LASTLY, I WANTED TO SHARE SOME RESOURCES WITH THE COMMISSION OF PLACES THAT YOU CAN DIVE IN DEEPER ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHIN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR DISTRICT.
UM, SO WE HAVE OUR WATERSHED ACTIVE PROJECTS WEBSITE.
UM, SO THIS IS, YOU CAN GO ON AND SEE LIKE ANY PROJECT THAT'S KIND OF MOVING FORWARD INTO A MAJOR PHASE OR GOING INTO CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND SO THERE, YOU CAN CLICK ON THESE SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND THEN YOU'LL BE LINKED TO, UM, UPCOMING MEETINGS, POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS REPORTS, AND THAT SORT OF THING, UPDATES ON THE PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT.
THERE'S ALSO A CITY-WIDE TOOL, UM, FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS CALLED THE CAPITAL PROJECT EXPLORER.
THIS LETS YOU LOOK AT CURRENT CAPITAL PROJECTS, UM, ACROSS OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, IT'LL GIVE YOU A LIST OF ALL OF OUR ACTIVE PROJECTS.
THERE'S AN, THERE'S A MAP AS WELL THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE, BUT THAT ONLY SHOWS, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO CONSTRUCTION, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
UM, BUT YOU CAN GO IN THERE AND I PUT A LINK HERE TO, TO THE STORMWATER PROJECTS.
AND SO YOU CAN CLICK ON THOSE AND SEE ALL OF OUR ACTIVE PROJECTS, UM, AND ALSO FILTER THOSE BY DISTRICT NEXT SIDE.
UM, AND THE LAST RESOURCE I'LL MENTION, UM, AS FAR OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WE HAVE A ONLINE PROBLEM SCORE VIEWER WHERE YOU CAN GO AND LOOK AT THE TOP LOCALIZED FLOODING CREEK, FLOODING, EROSION AND WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS, UH, ZOOM IN ON DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND SEE WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF THESE ISSUES AND, YOU KNOW, SEE HOW THEY RANK ACROSS DIFFERENT, UH, PROBLEMS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE'RE ALSO CURRENTLY WORKING ON A, UM, SISTER VIEWER THAT WOULD BE A SOLUTION VIEWER.
SO WHERE YOU COULD GO IN FOR WATERSHED PROJECTS AND SEE NOT ONLY ACTIVE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, UM, ONGOING OF THAT ARE PLANNED, BUT YOU'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AT HISTORIC PROJECTS AND THE BENEFITS THAT WERE GENERATED BY THOSE HOMES REMOVED FROM THE FLOOD PLAIN, UH, TONS OF POLLUTION, REMOVED LINEAR FEET OF STREAM, RESTORED, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND WE'LL DEFINITELY BE BACK TO THE COMMISSION, UH, TO GIVE YOU A TOUR OF THAT, UH, VIEWER AND DASHBOARD ONCE WE HAVE THAT LIVE NEXT SLIDE.
OH, THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING WE COVERED OR ANYTHING ELSE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS? I HAVE A COUPLE GRAPES PRECEDE.
UM, JUST QUICK QUESTIONS, UM, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
UM, SO THERE WERE THE EXPENDITURE SLIDE THAT TALKED ABOUT KIND OF DEPARTMENTAL EXPENDITURES BY PERCENTAGE.
AND THEN WE GOT TO TALKING ALSO ABOUT FUTURE BUDGET ITEMS. THERE'S ALL THOSE KINDS OF MULTI OBJECTIVE PROJECTS.
UM, I GUESS I'M CURIOUS ABOUT LIKE HOW YOU'RE ALLOCATING KIND OF YOUR, YOUR EXPENDITURES IN THAT, IN THAT PIE CHART, UM, ON, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS THAT PERHAPS ARE A LITTLE BIT EXTREME RESTORATION AND A LITTLE BIT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATERWAY WORDS AND HOW ARE YOU? ARE YOU SPLITTING THOSE UP PERCENTAGE WISE, WHICH IS A $500,000 PROJECT, BUT A HUNDRED IS STREAM AND 400, I GUESS I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THAT'S ALLOCATED.
[01:40:02]
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.UM, ON THAT, UH, IT WAS THE PRIMARY EMISSIONS.
THAT'S THE LEAD ON THERE? WHAT WE SHOW THAT UNDER.
SO LIKE I MENTIONED THAT JAMESTOWN PROJECT, WHICH WAS STREAM RESTORATION AS WELL AS CERTAIN BRAND IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SHOWN UNDER THE EROSION PI ON THAT CHART.
UM, FOR THE MOST PART, WE GO BY THE PRIMARY MISSION.
WE DO HAVE SOME TRULY MULTI OBJECTIVE PROJECTS THAT STARTED THAT WAY FROM THE BEGINNING THAT HAVE, UM, MULTIPLE PROJECT SPONSORS.
UH, WE HAVE AN, WE HAVE A PROJECT LOOKING AT DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BRENTWOOD AREA.
UM, AND SHE'LL CREATE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ALL THE MISSIONS ARE COMING TOGETHER FOR SOME OF THEIR TOP PRIORITIES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOW IN OUR MULTI OBJECTIVE.
UH, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE, WE SHOW, WE BREAK IT OUT USING THE LEAD MISSION.
UM, WE'VE DEFINITELY TRIED TO MOVE IN THE WAY THAT WE'RE APPROPRIATING OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND TO THINKING OF IT AS WATERSHED MONEY AND NOT AS MUCH PIECES OF THE PIE.
SO TO THE EXTENT THAT AN EROSION PROJECT IS IDENTIFYING LOCAL FLOOD NEEDS, CREEK, FLOOD NEEDS, RAIN, GARDENS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'RE BRINGING THAT MONEY TO THE TABLE AND BUILDING THAT MULTI-MISSION PROJECT WITHOUT SOMEBODY ELSE SAYING, HEY, YOU'RE TAKING FUNDS AWAY FROM ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S BECOME A MORE COLLABORATIVE ONE DEPARTMENT APPROACH.
WELL, I THINK YOU'RE ON MUTE OTHER QUESTIONS.
CAUSE MY DOG BARKED, UM, JUST, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR ERIN.
AND JUST ONE MORE THING ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE I'D LOVE TO SEE HOW YOUR PIECE OF THE PIE FOR THE MULTI OBJECTIVE HAS KIND OF CHANGED OVER TIME.
AT LEAST THE WAY I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY THAT PIECE OF THE PIE IS STARTING TO SWALLOW ALL THE OTHER PIECES BECAUSE THE MORE WORK YOU'RE DOING, THAT'S MULTI OBJECTIVE THE BETTER, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE.
SO I'D LOVE TO SEE KIND OF CHANGE OVER TIME ON THAT.
UM, I GUESS ONE OTHER THING IS, AND I'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT WITH OTHER BOOKS AND SEE ABOUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IF IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S, THERE ARE SOME GAPS IN YOUR ABILITY TO ALLOCATE FUNDING TOWARDS SOME OF THE BROADER ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS THAT DOES TIE BACK TO WATER.
UM, AND CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS AND YOUR ABILITY TO FUND SOME OF THE MULTI OBJECTIVES PROJECTS THAT, THAT MAYBE YOU'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO FUND THAT, UM, MAYBE ARE MORE ECOSYSTEM SERVICE-BASED OR, UM, THAT QUESTION MAKES SENSE FEEL IT DOES.
UM, BUT DEFINITELY, UM, I'LL TAKE A FIRST STAB AT IT.
WE ARE DEFINITELY LIMITED, ESPECIALLY IN OUR DEPTH TRENDING AND WHAT THAT CAN BE SPENT ON, KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE SPENT ON DRAINAGE AND STORM WATER IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, WE DO HAVE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY, UM, WITH THINGS LIKE OUR BOND FUNDING, ALTHOUGH IT'S, UM, SUBJECT TO BOND COVENANTS, UM, OUR RIPARIAN ZONE MITIGATION FEE, THEY ALL HAVE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS BASED ON HOW THOSE FUNDS WERE SET UP.
UM, AND SO I THINK FOR INSTANCE, IN THE POWERPOINT, I SHOWED THE JJC BRICK PROJECT, UM, THAT WAS DONE IN THE TANNAHILL BRANCH.
SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT WHERE WE WERE NEEDING TO WORK WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO INCORPORATE MORE OF THOSE OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO PROVIDE THROUGH OUR FUNDING.
UM, SO IN THAT CASE, WE WERE LOOKING AT TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS, IMPROVEMENTS TO TRANSPORTATION, UM, AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT DEFINITELY I THINK THAT WOULD ALSO APPLY, UM, MOVING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE ABLE TO BRING THINGS LIKE URBAN FORESTRY WITHIN OUR UMBRELLA FOR WATER QUALITY, BUT OTHER KIND OF BIGGER, UM, ECOSYSTEM SERVICES WE MIGHT NEED TO CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH, UM, AUSTIN WATER AND CONSERVATION OFFICES, SUSTAINABILITY ON, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL FOR FOOD PRODUCTION OR, UH, HABITAT CONSERVATION OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
IF THAT'S WHAT CAME OUT, I'M CURIOUS, I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A LONG AND KINDA IT'S IMPORTANT.
IT'S THAT A VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS? UM, ALL RIGHT.
I'VE HEARD IS TRANSPORTATION, UH, DEPARTMENT, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS TALK ABOUT SOCIAL MOBILITY AND HOW WE'RE MAPPING THAT.
AND WHAT'S FACTORS WE'RE INCLUDING, AND IT FEELS LIKE ALL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ARE KIND OF TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT ON THEIR OWN.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY IN A PUBLIC FORUM, I HOPE THAT EQUITY GAP IS WORKING ON THAT BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO SEE DEPARTMENTS FIGURE IT OUT A CITY-WIDE STANDARD FOR HOW WE'RE TAKING ABOUT THAT INTERSECTIONAL VULNERABILITY OF COMMUNITIES.
UM, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT CONSISTENT, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON AND WE'VE SILOED AT LEAST THE WAY I SEE IT.
COMMISSIONER POINT, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT POINT.
AND YES, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE AND WE'LL EXPAND MORE ON THAT NEXT WEEK WHEN WE COME BACK, UH, AND SHARE MORE, MORE THOUGHTS ON THAT THINKING, CAN WE JUST START THOMPSON? DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT, I SAW HERE THAT YOU WANTED,
[01:45:01]
UM, FIVE EMPLOYEES FOR THE PROGRAM AND THE PROJECT AND THEY WOULD BE WORKING ON HOMELESSNESS AND EQUITY.AND SO I'M WONDERING, UM, WHAT PART OF THE MAINTENANCE BUDGET WOULD BE FOR IN THIS, UM, DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS. I'M WONDERING WHAT PART OF THE CLEANUP WOULD, WHERE WOULD THAT BE IN SUPPORT SERVICES OR WATER QUALITY PROTECTION, OR WHERE, WHERE WOULD THAT BE? UH, CAN WE SHARE THE THOMPSON? UM, I WILL TAKE THAT QUESTION.
UH, SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAM MANAGER POSITIONS.
AND SO THE EQUITY PROGRAM MANAGER IS GOING TO REPORT DIRECTLY TO ME.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE EQUITY COORDINATION TEAM, WHICH IS, UH, EXISTING EMPLOYEES THAT DO THIS ABOVE AND BEYOND THEIR REGULAR DUTIES.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WE NEED A FULL-TIME PERSON THAT CAN HELP COORDINATE THAT.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATE, BUT A DEDICATED PERSON.
THAT'S GOING TO MANAGE CONTRACTS AND WORK WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND THE EQUITY OFFICE AND OTHER FOLKS TO THE POINT PERSON.
AND THEY WILL REPORT DIRECTLY TO ME, THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP.
IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE A PROGRAM PERSON AND THAT ONE'S GOING TO BE UNDER OUR FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION.
SO WE HAVE A THREE, ONE, ONE, UH, INVESTIGATIVE TEAM.
SO I WAS GOING TO REPORT TO THAT TEAM RIGHT NOW.
AND IT'S TIED TO THE LAND MANAGEMENT TEAM AS WELL.
AND SO THAT POSITION IS ALSO GOING TO BE A FULL-TIME PROGRAM MANAGER.
THAT'S GOING TO HELP US MANAGE THE CONTRACT AND CAN'T MAKE CONTRACTS AND ALSO HELPING, UH, COORDINATE WITH OUR EXISTING STAFF WHEN WE HAVE TO GO OUT TO CERTAIN AREAS TO DO CLEANUPS.
UM, WHERE DOES, WHAT PART OF THE BUDGET IS FOR THE CLEANUPS AND DO WE GET HELP WITH THAT? SO THE BUDGET FOR THE CLEANUPS IS EMBEDDED IN THE OPERATIONAL, UH, FOR, FOR OUR GROUPS.
ARE WE GETTING ANY HELP WITH THAT FROM OTHER PARTS OF THIS? YES, ACTUALLY, UH, THERE'S SEVERAL CONTRACTS, NOT JUST THE WATERSHED CONTRACT, PUBLIC WORKS HAS THEIR CONTRACT.
THERE'S DIFFERENT CONTRACTS THAT PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS A CONTRACT.
WE HAVE, UH, MULTIPLE MEETINGS PER WEEK JUST COORDINATING ON PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESS ACTIVITIES AND HOW WE IMPROVE THAT.
AND WE'RE WORKING, UH, WITH THE, UH, NEW HOMELESS OFFICE.
AND SO WE'RE STRATEGIZING TOGETHER, BUT YEAH, IT'S, IT'S NOT A SILOED SITUATION.
IT'S, MULTI-DEPARTMENT ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY AND THE NONPROFIT TEAMS THAT ARE WORKING WITH US ON THAT.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY ONE COMMENT IS THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT THIS BUDGET BY TALKING TO OUR COUNCIL PERSONS.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE STRESS THE NEEDS THAT, UH, WANT TO SHAKE PROTECTION DEPARTMENT HAS AN ADDITION, YOU KNOW, THE BOND MONEY FOR THE CIP CIP PROJECTS.
I'VE GONE IN, UH, TALK TO THE COMMITTEE'S EXPRESSION ON LAND ACQUISITION.
SO THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANT NEEDS FOR THAT MONEY AND WANT THAT MONEY GOES FORWARD TO PROTECT OUR WATER AS WELL.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS BUDGET INVOLVES US PERSONALLY BECAUSE WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE HAPPENING FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS.
UM, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH DIRECTOR MORALES.
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE B YEAH.
IT'S A MATTER OF EMOTION IF YOU'RE READY FOR IT.
UM, ON ITEMS, THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, FISCAL YEAR 2020 OPERATION BUDGET FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PLAN.
UM, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS CHARGED WITH REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION OF WATERSHED PROTECTIONS, ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET, AND FIVE-YEAR AT THE PLAN.
WHEREAS THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 OPERATION BUDGET IS ESTIMATED TO BE 100.8, 6 MILLION.
AND WHEREAS, UH, FISCAL YEAR 20 FISCAL YEAR 2021 TO 2025 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS, OUTLINES WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENTS PROJECTED MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS BASED ON EXISTING FUNDS AND ANTICIPATED REVENUE WHERE AS THE WATERSHED PROJECT DEPARTMENT HAS PROVIDED A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION DETAILING THE TOTALS AND BREAKDOWNS OF FISCAL YEAR 2022 OPERATING BUDGETS.
AND THIS FISCAL YEAR 2022 TO 2026 CIP, WHICH IS INCLUDED MYSTICAL AGENDA.
AND LAST ONE, WHEREAS WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES TO ADDRESS JEMAR ACTIVES AND CREATE CRITICAL GOALS INITIATIVES FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.
THEREFORE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
[01:50:01]
RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENTS, FISCAL YEAR 2022 OPERATING BUDGET AND FIVE-YEAR CIP PROGRAM WITH THE FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION AS WAS PRESENTED AS WAS PRESENTED PRIOR MEETING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REQUESTS THAT WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT CONTINUED TO PROVIDE DETAILED BUDGET DOCUMENTATION PRIOR TO THE REQUEST FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ACTION ON THE BUDGET, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REQUESTS, THESE DETAILS INCLUDE ANTICIPATED FUTURE RATE INCREASES AND A CURRENT AND FUTURE PROJECTS BROKEN OUT BY DISTRICT.IS THERE A SECOND FOR THIS MOTION? SECOND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NONE? I WILL GO TO A ROLL CALL.
[3c. Development Services Department’s Fiscal Year 2022-2026 Financial Forecast]
ARE NOW MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM UNDER THREE C DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, FISCAL YEAR 2022 THROUGH 2026 FINANCIAL FORECAST.I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO IS COMING IN FOR THIS PRESENTATION THIS EVENING, COME FORWARD, DIRECTOR LUCAS.
HE MAY START YOUR VIDEO OR UNMUTE AS YOU WISH TO BEGIN, OR WHOEVER FROM A DEVELOPMENT SERVICES THAT WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT MY VIDEO WAS ON, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, IT IS.
MEN, MADAM CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I AM DENISE LUCAS AND I SERVE, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING US TO ATTEND TONIGHT.
YOU'RE MEETING WHERE WE CAN PRESENT TO YOU, OUR FY 22 BUDGET AND OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WILL UPDATE YOU ON SOME OF THE ENHANCEMENTS WE HAVE MADE TO OUR PROGRAMS BASED ON YOUR FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, JOINING US TONIGHT IS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
ANGELA MEANS WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR CUSTOMER AND EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCED UNIT OF WHICH THE FINANCE UNIT, UH, IS A POOR, UH, AS A PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR MEANS, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AT THE END OF THE MEETING, UH, TO CAPTURE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE DATA WE PRESENT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, DIRECTOR MEANS, YES.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS AGAIN, MY NAME IS ANGELA MEANS I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WITH ME ARE ERIC UVALDE.
WHO'S OUR FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION MANAGER, DAVID HILLERS AND AARON WILLIAMS, FINANCE MANAGERS IN OUR BUDGET AND ASSET MANAGEMENT UNIT AND DAVID CHAPMAN DIVISION MANAGER OVER ENVIRONMENTAL AND TREE INSPECTIONS.
THIS TEAM WERE PRESENT THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENTS, FINANCIAL FORECAST FOR FISCAL YEARS, 2022 THROUGH 2026 AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS.
NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ERIC UVALDE.
CAN IT? I STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU.
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SWITCH WHERE YOUR AUDIO IS COMING FROM.
[01:55:01]
I'M SURE THE TECH PERSON IS BETTER AT WALKING YOU THROUGH TO ME.SO MAYBE YOUR AUDIO INPUT ON YOUR PC.
PLEASE CLICK THE, WELL, ARE YOU, IF YOU'RE ON A DESKTOP, IF YOU CLICK THE THREE DOTS AT THE BOTTOM, YOU CAN TRY TO SWITCH YOUR AUDIO.
THERE'S AN ECHO, OR CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES.
I'M NOT SURE I'M SHOWING THAT I'M NOT MUTED, SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.
SO TODAY I'LL BE PRESENTING ON DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2022 TO 2026 FINANCIAL FORECAST JOINING ME THIS EVENING IS DAVID CHAPMAN WHO SERVES AS A DIVISION, THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS.
ALSO DAVID HILLERS WHO SERVES AS A FINANCE MANAGER TO WHO OVERSEES THE OPERATING EXPENSE BUDGET.
AND THEN MYSELF, ERIC GAULDIN WHO SERVES AS A FINANCE MANAGER, THREE WILL RECEIVE THE FINANCES FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
SO FOR TODAY'S AGENDA, I'LL BE DISCUSSING WHO DSE IS.
SO I'LL BE GOING OVER THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM GOALS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
ALSO, I'LL ALSO BRIEFLY WALK YOU THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION OVER THE VARIOUS FUNDING SOURCES.
THEN I'LL DIVE INTO THE FEE CALCULATOR METHODOLOGY.
THEN I'LL HAND THINGS OVER TO DAVID WHO WILL BE DISCUSSING THE OPERATING BUDGET.
AND HE'LL ALSO BE DISCUSSING THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN WE'LL WRAP THINGS UP WITH DAVID CHAPMAN, WHO WE DISCUSSING ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS COULD START IT NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO LIKE ANY ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE A MISSION.
OUR MISSION HERE IS TO SUPPORTING VIBRANT COMMUNITY, THE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE 425 BUDGETED FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE 36 BUDGET AT TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES FOR FISCAL
[02:00:01]
YEAR 20 ONE'S BUDGET.AND LIKE ANY ORGANIZATIONS, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE SHORT AND LONG-TERM GOALS.
SO FOUR GOALS THAT WE HAVE AS KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE CONDUCT TIMELY PLAN REVIEWS ON INSPECTIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE PROTECT AND RENEW AUSTIN TO TREAT CANOPY.
WE HAVE THE THIRD ONE PROPERTY STEWARD, FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND FINDING WE HAVE PROVIDE EXCELLENT WE'RE SERVICE.
SO GOING TO A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULAR IN TERMS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'RE BROKEN UP BY DIFFERENT OPPOSITES.
WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR WHO HANDLES ALL THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS AND THE AUSTIN CENTER FOR EVENTS.
WE HAVE CUSTOMER AND EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE THAT HANDLES CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FINANCING, THE RESOURCES, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE BUILDING PLAN REVIEW THAT I NOTICED THE BUILDING PLAN REVIEWS.
WE HAVE A LAND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW THAT HANDLES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM REVIEW COMMUNITY TREE PRESERVATION, LAND USE REVIEW REGULATORY POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND GENERAL PERMIT REVIEW.
AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS THAT HANDLES THE DEPARTMENT'S BUILDING INSPECTIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS, GENERAL PERMIT, AND TELECOMM INSPECTIONS AND SITE AND SUBDIVISION INSPECTIONS.
SO WITH ALL, ALL THE BUDGET CYCLE, THAT'S GOING ON, LET ME JUST BRIEFLY WALK YOU THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS, IT'S REQUIRED BY THE CITY CHARTER IN ASSURANCE, PROPER SPENDING AND MONITORING OF TAXES AND FEES PAID BY THE PUBLIC.
SO FOR THIS YEAR, AS BUDGET KICKED OFF, TAKE OFF, WE STARTED IN JANUARY, FOLLOWED BY THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT, WHICH OCCURS BETWEEN JANUARY AND MARCH AND PRESIDENT WE'RE UNDER THE BUDGET ENGAGEMENT PORTION.
AND THEN THAT'S BETWEEN MARCH AND APRIL FOLLOWED BY THE BUDGET SUBMISSION, WHICH OCCURS IN MAY OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN IN AUGUST WE HAVE A BUDGET, A BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING, AND ALSO THE BUDGET ADOPTION.
SO WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WE SERVE AS AN ENTERPRISE.
SO PRIOR TO FISCAL YEAR 19, WE H WE WERE UNDER THE GENERAL FUND FROM FISCAL YEAR 19 TO PRESENT.
WE GENERATE OUR, OUR REVENUES THROUGH THE USE OF FEES OR FEE DEVELOPMENT.
SO WHAT, YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN FRONT OF YOU, OR TWO PIE CHARTS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, WE HAVE FISCAL YEAR 21 FORECAST.
AND IF IT'S, AND ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, WE HAVE FISCAL YEAR 22 FORECAST BUDGET.
SO IF I COULD DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THIS FIGURE 21 FORECAST, THE DEPARTMENT'S TASKS IS 61.86.
AND THIS YEAR THEY COULD SEE, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PIE CHART JUST RIGHT BELOW IT, THE BULK OF OUR, OF OUR REVENUE IS DRIVEN BY OUR FEES.
AND MAINLY IN PARTICULAR IS THE BUILDING SAFETY AND BUILDING SAFETY, WHICH GENERATES ABOUT 26.65 IN TERMS OF OUR FORECAST, WHICH SERVES ABOUT 43% OF THE DEPARTMENT'S REVENUE FOLLOWED BY 21 MILLION FOR DEVELOPMENT FEE, WHICH WAS ABOUT 30, 34 OR 34% OF THE BUDGET.
AND THEN WE HAVE 7.29, WHICH IS OTHER ABOUT 12%.
AND IT FOLLOWS THE FOLLOWING BY THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS 6.92, WHICH IS ABOUT 11% ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WEST FISCAL YEAR 22, UH, BUDGET FORECAST.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 64.3, 1 MILLION, AND IT'S SIMILAR TO 50 OR 21 FORECAST.
A LOT OF IS DRIVEN BY THE BUILDING SAFETY PORTION, WHICH IS 27.5, WHICH IS ABOUT 43% SIMILAR TO FISCAL YEAR 21, FOLLOWED BY DEVELOPMENT FEES, 21.59, WHICH IS 34%.
AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER 7.66, WHICH IS ABOUT 12%.
AND THEN THE GENERAL FUND 7.56.
SO IN ALL, I GUESS THE POINT TO DRIVE HERE IS, IS OUR FEES.
SO FEES ARE, IS WHAT DRIVES OUR OPERATIONS AND THAT'S GENERATED THROUGH THE, THE FEES THAT WE ADMINISTER AND WE GENERATED WITH REVENUE.
SO WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS OUR, IS OUR FIVE-YEAR FORECAST.
SO I'D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE TOP PORTION GRAPH AND IN PARTICULAR, LOOKING AT FISCAL YEAR 21, AS OUR FORECAST MOVING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 15 OR 26.
SO IN THE BAR CHART, YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE JUST A SLIGHT INCREASES AND TO SEE GRADUAL INCREASES WITHIN EACH FISCAL YEAR.
IF I DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE LINEAR LINE AND FOCUSING ON 21 TO 22, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 3.8 INCREASE, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 22 TO 23, ABOUT A 3.7 AND FISCAL YEAR 23 TO 24, 4% INCREASE.
AND THEN FOR 25 TO 2026, WE SEE A DROP IN TERMS OF, BY A PERCENT IN TERMS
[02:05:01]
OVER OUT YOUR FORECAST.AND APART FROM THAT, I'D LIKE TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION TO THE BOTTOM PART, WHICH IS THE TABLE AND IN PARTICULAR, THE FORECAST.
SO WE STARTED OFF LOOKING AT THIS YEAR AT 21, THE LAST LIE, WHICH IS A PERCENT CHANGE.
AND WE START FROM THIS YEAR'S FORECAST 21 TO 22, WE SEE AT THE 4% INCREASE, WHICH IS A VERY, VERY MODEST INCREASE FROM 22 TO 24.
WE'RE SEEING A 4% INCREASE CONSISTENTLY BETWEEN, UH, 22 TO 24.
AND THEN FROM 25 TO 26, WE'RE SEEING A 1% DROP 3% FOR THIS YEAR.
WE WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ABOUT ITS BUDGET AND THE ABE, AND WITHOUT REALLY INCREASING FEES ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS IS TO REALLY DRAW ATTENTION TO I'D LIKE TO STRESS.
THIS POINT IS WE KEPT OUR FEES MODEST.
SO WE KEEP THEM PRETTY MUCH FLAT.
THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS AS TO IS LOOK AT OUR, OUR VOLUME.
SO VOLUME IS WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING OUR, OUR FEES AND, AND DRIVING OUR REVENUE HISTORICALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE.
WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT FEES AND WE INCREASED THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THIS YEAR, WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY KEEPING THEM FLAT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT TO, TO DRAW ATTENTION ON, UH, THE FACT THAT WE'RE KEEPING A PRETTY MUCH FLAT AND A LOT OF IS LARGELY DRIVEN BY OUR VOLUME INCREASES.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE A BALANCE BETWEEN OUR REVENUE AND OUR EXPENSE BUDGET.
AND AS I MENTIONED, AS YOU KNOW, ON THE, ON THE PIE CHART, A LOT OF IT IS JUST DRIVEN BY OUR REVENUE PORTION, UM, THAT HELPS SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'RE SEEING IN FRONT OF YOU IS A FEE CALCULATION METHODOLOGY.
SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT AND AMERICA ATTENTION THAT I WALK YOU THROUGH OUR FEE CALCULATION.
SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OR DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT GOES INTO OUR FEE CALCULATION.
FIRST ONE IS REGULATIONS, WHICH HAS MAINLY GOVERNED BY CITY AND STATE MANDATES TO OUR RESOURCES, MAINLY DRIVEN BY HUMAN CAPITAL.
SO THERE, THE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO ADMINISTER THE REGULATIONS AND THEN FACTORS.
THESE FACTORS ARE, ARE IMPORTANT TO, TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY WHAT KEEPS THE BUDGET BALANCE OR ABLE TO DO TO MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF THE, OF OUR OPERATING EXPENSE BUDGET.
SO WE HAVE AN ANNUAL PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
WE HAVE AN ANNUAL PROJECTED VOLUME AND WE HAVE ESTIMATED REQUIRED TIME.
SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AND THE OUT YEARS IS TO FOCUS ON THE MIDDLE PORTION, WHICH IS A VOLUME OF THE PROJECTED VOLUME PORTION OF OUR FEE CALCULATION.
SO IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR FEES FLAT, IN ORDER TO MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF OUR OPERATIONS, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE VOLUME.
AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO MONITOR THE, INCREASE OUR VOLUME AND BE ABLE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, BECAUSE IT IT'S WHAT IT'S, WHAT IT'S STATING IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE A BALANCED BUDGET WITH REALLY IMPACTING OUR FEES ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT OUR VOLUME AND THE WAY WE CAME UP WITH A VOLUME DAVID WOULD BE DISCUSSING, UH, SOON ENOUGH, UH, USING REPORTING.
SO WE, WE USE AN OUTSIDE CONSULTING FIRM AND WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO DRIVE THAT FORECAST INFORMATION FROM THERE, AND ALSO LOOK INTERNALLY WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
SO AT THIS POINT IN OUR PRESENTATION, LIKE TO HAVE IT OVER TO DAVID WHO WILL BE DISCUSSING THE OPERATING EXPENSE BUDGET, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO WRAP THINGS UP WITH DAVID CHAPMAN WHO WILL BE DISCUSSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS.
UH, SO AS ERIC MENTIONED, OUR CURRENT YEAR BUDGET IS $64.2 MILLION.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR PROBABLY 22 AS A MODEST INCREASE OF ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, MUCH OF THAT IS ACTUALLY DRIVEN BY, UH, UH, BASELINE COST DRIVERS FROM THE, BASICALLY THE, THE CITYWIDE PLUS LIVING ADJUSTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AREAS.
UH, SO THE NET EFFECT OF THOSE BASELINE COST DRIVERS WAS ABOUT $300,000.
AND LOOKING AT CERTAIN BUDGET REDUCTIONS THAT WE COULD, UH, IMPLEMENT, WE REDUCED OUR VEHICLE REPLACEMENT BUDGET BY ABOUT $56,000.
AND WE ALSO DECREASED OUR, UH, UH, BUDGET FOR THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, REWRITE IT BY ABOUT $159,000.
AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY DUE TO A SORT OF AN ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENT, MORE OF A TRUE UP OF, OF WHAT WE SPENT SO FAR TO WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY BUDGETED.
SO EITHER THE NET EFFECT IS BASICALLY A VERY, VERY SMALL INCREASE TO OUR BUDGET FROM
UM, ON THE BOTTOM HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR PERSONNEL COSTS ARE THE MAJOR DRIVER OVER OUR BUDGET.
AND THOSE CONTRACTUALS THAT 30% IS REALLY A LARGE MAJORITY OF IT ARE OUR, WHAT THEY CALL THE CITY-WIDE COST DRIVERS.
THESE ARE IT SUPPORT COSTS, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, UH, THE, THE CITYWIDE, UH, WORKERS' COMP, UM, INSURANCE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
[02:10:01]
UH, ACCOUNTS FOR THOSE, BUT THERE'S ALSO THOSE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTUALS SUCH AS THE RENT FOR THE NEW PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICE CENTER.UH, OUR TECHNOLOGY SURCHARGES, THE THIRD-PARTY IT, UH, CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, IMPLEMENT CERTAIN SOFTWARE UPGRADES AND VARIOUS, UH, OTHER CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE A SMALL CONTRACT WITH THREE FOLKS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, PROJECT WHERE WE, UH, RECEIVE A REIMBURSEMENT THROUGH THE URBAN FOREST REPLENISHMENT FUND, UH, OUR COMMODITIES BUDGET, WHICH IS OUR, UH, OFFICE AND COMPUTER SUPPLIES, UH, VERY, VERY MINOR.
UM, AND THEN WHAT WE CALL OUR EXPENSE REFUNDS, WHICH ARE REIMBURSEMENTS THROUGH THE URBAN FOREST REPLENISHMENT FUND AND THE DRAINAGE UTILITY FUND, UH, FROM WATERSHED.
AND THEN OF COURSE OUR, OUR VEHICLE REPLACEMENT BUDGET, WHICH IS THE MATH CIP CAPITAL PORTION OF IT.
AND SO WE ARE PLANNING ON BASICALLY, UH, UH, REPLACING ABOUT 10 VEHICLES WITH THAT MONEY.
AND A LOT OF THOSE ARE CHEVY BALLS THAT GO WHERE WE'RE IMPLEMENTING, UH, MOSTLY, UH, ELECTRIC VEHICLES OR HYBRIDS.
AND AS WE CAN, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST, UH, WE START WITH THE, THE, WHAT OUR CURRENT BUDGET WAS, AND THIS WAS THESE BUDGET NUMBERS WERE WHAT WE SUBMITTED BACK IN LAST MINUTE, LAST YEAR.
AND SO AS WE DEVELOP OUR FORECAST, WHAT OUR, WHAT WE CONSIDER OUR CURRENT YEAR ESTIMATE, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO END UP AT THE YEAR? WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SEE A SMALL EXCESS IN, UH, OUR REVENUE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR EXPENSES.
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY, UH, CURRENTLY ARE, ARE CONTINUING OUR, OUR MONITORING OF OUR DISCRETIONARY SPENDING BECAUSE WE'RE NOT QUITE OVER THE PANDEMIC YET.
AND SO, UH, WE ARE BASICALLY KEEPING A VERY CLOSE EYE ON WHAT WE'RE SPENDING AND, UH, IN ORDER TO KEEP THOSE COSTS DOWN, UH, FOR THE OUT YEARS WE DO, UH, UH, PERCY INCREASE IN EXPENSES.
AND, UH, WE SET THE REVENUE EQUAL TO EXPENSES, ASSUMING THE FULL COSTS OF SERVICE, UH, UH, COVER.
AND THEN OUR FTES ARE BASICALLY WHAT DRIVES, UH, MOST OF THE EXPENSES, AS WELL AS OUR CITY, UH, PROJECTED STATEWIDE COST DRIVERS THAT WE GET FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE.
AND SO, UM, AS I MENTIONED, UH, BASICALLY A REVENUE TO EXPENSES WILL GROW SLIGHTLY.
UM, BUT WE, WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO COVER ALL OF OUR EXPENSES WITH REVENUE COMING IN, UH, DUE TO THE INCREASE IN ACTIVITY THAT WAS FORECASTED BY THE CAPITAL MARKET RESEARCH COMPANY THAT WE, UH, THAT WE CONTRACTED OUT LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME.
SO IN THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT FORECAST, UH, UH, WE REACHED OUT, UH, LAST YEAR TO A LOCAL RE UH, REAL ESTATE MARKET RESEARCH FIRM, A CAPITAL MARKET RESEARCH TO DEVELOP A FIVE-YEAR ACTIVITY FORECAST THAT TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE EFFECTS OF COVID TO THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT AND REAL ESTATE MARKET.
AND WHAT THEY PROVIDED SHOWS THAT THIS YEAR WAS GOING TO HAVE A REDUCED AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY, BUT THEN WE WOULD EXPERIENCE AN ACCELERATED GROWTH STARTING IN
SO THERE ARE STILL A FORECAST OF INCREASE IN THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN WITH A LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AND STRONG DEMAND FOR HOUSING.
SO WE DEVELOPED OUR FORECAST, UH, SHOWN ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE BASED ON THOSE ASSUMPTIONS.
UH, SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE AGGRESSIVELY FILLING A VACANT POSITIONS AND PLANNING TO REQUEST MORE FTES, UH, STARTING IN FY 23, SPECIFICALLY IN THE AREAS OF INSPECTIONS AND PLANNERS AND PLANS EXAMINER IS TO MEET THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN ACTIVITY.
SO AS PART OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET, UH, WE HAVE CERTAIN KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS TO EVALUATE HOW WE ARE DOING IN TERMS OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND FINANCIAL STABILITY.
UH, ONE OF THE GOALS FOR THIS YEAR WAS TO CONDUCT TIMELY PLAN REVIEWS, INSPECTIONS IN ORDER TO FACILITATE MORE EFFICIENT REVIEW PROCESS OVERALL.
AND WE'VE IMPROVED THOSE ON TIME, ESPECIALLY AS BY STREAMLINING CERTAIN BUSINESS PROCESSES AND REORIENTED LIKE REORGANIZING THE DIVISION.
AND THIS HAS RESULTED IN IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCES AS SHOWN IN THE MEASURE BELOW WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY BUTLER, TARGETING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
AND ADDITIONALLY, UH, INCREASED STAFF ALONG WITH THE INDIVIDUAL REORGANIZATIONS HAVE ENHANCED OUR ABILITY TO PERFORM BUILDING INSPECTIONS WITHIN 24 HOURS SUB REQUEST.
SO, UH, AS A RESULT, THE PERCENTAGE OF BUILDING INSPECTIONS PERFORMED WITHIN 24 HOURS ACTUALLY IS TRENDING UPWARDS.
WE WERE AT 81% AND FYI 19, AND WE'RE, UH, ESTIMATED VIA 86% THIS YEAR.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A GOAL OF MAINTAINING 50% OR A SIX MONTHS OF OPERATING EXPENSES IN OUR, OUR FINANCIAL RESERVES.
AND SO THIS IS A METRIC THAT WILL PROBABLY TAKE A FEW YEARS TO ACHIEVE, UH, BUT WITH FLUSHED MONITORING OF DISCRETIONARY SPENDING, UH, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO REACH THAT GOAL.
UM, AND THEN, UH, PROTECT AND RENEW.
UH, AUSTIN STREET CANOPY IS, IS A PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INDICATOR FOR THE CITY, UH, TO MONITOR AND QUANTIFY DATA ON REGIONAL ECOLOGICAL QUALITY.
UH, SO THESE INDICATORS SPAN THE AIR QUALITY
[02:15:01]
OF THE CITY, THE QUANTITIES OF MATERIALS DIVERTED FROM LANDFILL, THE TREE CANOPY COVERAGE AND THE QUALITY QUALITY OF OUR WATER.AND AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE THAT THE ARE, WE'VE ACTUALLY FORECASTED THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE OVER OUR TARGET OF 30.8%.
WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY GONNA BE AT ABOUT 31.2%, UH, AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DAVID.
CHAD, WHAT DO YOU MEAN COUNSEL? AND YOU'LL HEAR ME OKAY.
A GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS DAVID CHAPMAN, UH, DIVISION MANAGER OVER, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENTRY INSPECTIONS.
UH, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL A QUICK UPDATE ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
I TOOK OVER A TEMPORARY ROLES AS DIVISION MANAGER IN, UH, INTO SEPTEMBER TIME.
AND DURING THAT PERIOD FROM NOW UNTIL THEN WE'VE, UH, STARTED HIRING STAFF TO FILL SOME VACANT POSITIONS AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HIRED FOUR, UH, SENIOR INSPECTORS FOR THAT RESIDENTIAL SIDE, UH, FOR RESIDENTIAL TREE AND ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS.
UH, ALSO THREE INSPECTORS FOR THE COMMERCIAL, UH, TRINI AND ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS.
UH, WE'VE HIRED ONE, UH, UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK INSPECTOR, UH, ONE COMPLIANCE INSPECTOR FOR UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS, UH, ONE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, UH, SENIOR OR A USD.
AND ALSO WE HAVE NOW TWO OUTDOOR AMPLIFIED SOUND ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL.
UH, DURING THAT TIME, UH, W WE LAUNCHED AN INITIATIVE PROGRAM, UH, TO GET OUR STAFF CERTIFIED AND EROSION SEDIMENT, UH, AND STORMWATER INSPECTIONS, AND ALSO IN THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ARBORICULTURE OR AS CERTIFIED ARBORIST.
UH, WE BEGAN THAT WITH HAVING A THREE OUT OF THE FIVE RESIDENTIAL STAFF MEMBERS, UH, BEING CERTIFIED AND WITH THE NEW HIRES, WE ARE NOW AT SEVEN OUT OF THE NINE, UM, ON THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AND THEN ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, UH, WE INCREASED FROM ONE ISA CERTIFIED TO TWO ISA CERTIFIED, UH, AND ALSO AN ENFORCEMENT STAFF BEING CERTIFIED.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET, UH, STAFF CERTIFIED IN THE ISA PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE RUNNING ABOUT 52.6%, UH, ISA CERTIFIED.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ABOUT 21% OF THE STAFF SAYS WE CERTIFIED, UH, WE'RE WORKING TO GET THEM, UH, INTO THE TRAININGS AND THE CLASSES THAT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY CAN GO AND GET CERTIFIED.
UH, THAT'S KIND OF TAKEN A, UH, CHANGE, UH, FOR, FOR US BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF AN IN-HOUSE CLASS.
AND NOW WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT VIRTUALLY, UH, WITH THE NEW HIRES.
UH, WE DO HAVE ONE STAFF MEMBER WHO IS A CERTIFIED TRAINER WITH ISA.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO, UH, SET UP SOME TIME WHERE SHE'LL CONDUCT SOME TRAINING WITH THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT NEED TO BE ISA CERTIFIED AND, UH, HELP THEM GET THROUGH, UH, THAT CERTIFICATION.
UH, WE'VE SET UP SOME PARTNERING WITH THE ARBORIST, UH, DEPARTMENT, THE WATERSHED PROTECTION, UH, GROUP, AND ALSO REVIEW STAFFS, OUR DRAINAGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWERS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN CONDUCTING, UH, VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH THAT STAFF, AND WE'VE ALSO CONDUCTED SOME FIELD MEETINGS.
UH, THEY'VE ALSO BEEN HELPING US, UH, UPDATE OUR SLPS SO THAT OUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, UH, CAN BE BACKED BY ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE TOUCH POINTS, UH, WITHIN, WITHIN OUR WORK GROUP.
UM, WE'RE ALSO HOLDING WEEKLY STAFF MEETINGS AND SUPERVISOR MEETINGS, UH, TO GO OVER THINGS THAT NEED A PRIORITY LOOKS, UH, PROJECTS THAT, THAT MAY COME UP AND HAVE, UH, THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF THE ORDINARY AND TOPICS THAT WE CAN GO OVER WITH THE STAFF, UH, ENTRIES ALSO THAT, UH, TREE PROTECTION TREE ISSUES, UH, NOT ONLY EROSION SEDIMENT AND CLEAN WATER PROBLEMS. NEXT SLIDE, UH, JUST SOME, UH, INSPECTION DATA FOR Y'ALL, UH, YEAR TO DATE.
SO FAR ON THE TREE INSPECTIONS.
UH, WE'VE HAD 3,628, WHICH IS AVERAGING US ABOUT 605 PER MONTH ON
[02:20:01]
THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTION SIDE.WE'VE HAD 4,023 INSPECTIONS, AND THAT AVERAGES OUT TO ABOUT SIX 71 PER MONTH.
UH, AND THIS IS ALL FOR RESIDENTIAL.
UH, THE, THE RESIDENTIAL IS KIND OF GOING UP RIGHT NOW.
SO IT SAYS 1,025, BUT WE'VE NOTICED A TREND WHERE THAT IS GROWING.
SO, UM, THERE, THERE'S A LITTLE MORE THAN 1,025 TO DATE, UH, WITH THE INCREASED STAFF.
UH, THIS WILL RESULT IN ABOUT 10 INSPECTIONS PER DAY PER INSPECTOR, AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, COVER THE NEEDS THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED OF US PER MONTH.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A CHANCE TO PRESENT, UM, BOTH OUR BUDGET AND ALSO THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED BASED ON YOUR VALUABLE FEEDBACK.
AND SO AT THIS TIME, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT, UH, ANY COMMENTS YOU HAVE ABOUT WHAT WE PRESENTED TODAY AND IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY THING THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME UP COMMENT ON AT THIS TIME COMMISSIONERS? I WOULD.
I I'D LIKE TO SAY THIS IS A COMMISSIONER GRILL.
UM, I I'M BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THE CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT OF DSD, UH, IN GENERAL.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AROUND AUSTIN FOR QUITE A WHILE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, DSD HAD A BIT OF A REPUTATION, UH, FOR A LONG PART OF THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, REALLY STARTING TO TURN, UM, YOU KNOW, I NOTICED YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE SATISFACTION RATES, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH WAS ABOVE, WHICH IS ABOVE TARGET, BUT STILL, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GENERALLY LOW.
I WAS WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR, UM, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON GETTING THAT, THAT NUMBER HIGHER, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST UP OVER 50% TO START, UM, AND MOVING THAT FORWARD, UH, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING A VERY DIFFICULT JOB OF ADMINISTERING AUSTIN'S DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS AND BUILDING REGULATIONS, WHICH, UH, OFTENTIMES LEAVE PEOPLE, UM, UNHAPPY IN GENERAL.
SO I, I RECOGNIZE THAT, BUT I'M JUST KINDA CURIOUS, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT'S KIND OF THE FORWARD OUTLOOK FOR, UH, FOR IMPROVING THOSE METRICS LOOK LIKE? UM, THAT'S REALLY MY QUESTION, BUT THEN CONTINUED KIND OF APPRAISE FOR, UH, BALANCING OUT AND, AND TRYING TO MAKE THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A NET ZERO IMPACT AND GETTING FEES TO COVER ALL OF THE OPERATIONAL EXPENSES OF DSD.
I THINK THAT'S A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VERY POSITIVE COMMENTS AND OR YOUR INSIGHTFUL THINKING ABOUT OUR PERFORMANCE METRICS.
WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER WHAT WE CALL OUR STRATEGIC DIRECTION, 2023, WHICH IS AN INITIATIVE THAT'S BEING LED OUT OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
WE REALIZED THAT THE BIGGEST THING THAT WAS ON THE HORIZON FOR US WAS HELPING ACCLIMATE OUR EMPLOYEES TO NEW, TO MOVE INTO THE NEW PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
AND SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A CHANGE THAT DRAMATIC AND A CHANGE, NOT ONLY IN LOCATION, BUT PROCESS AND SERVICE DELIVERY, WE REALIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO BE A BIT CONSERVATIVE ABOUT WHAT THAT METRIC WOULD BE ABOUT, UM, CUSTOMER SERVICE.
AND SO THEN THE PANDEMIC CAME AND THEN THE FREEZE OF THE WINTER FREEZE CAME AND WE REALIZED THAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO, UM, TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE IMPACT ON OUR EMPLOYEES.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, LATER THIS YEAR WE WILL BE ACCLIMATING AND TO THE PDC, WE'LL BE FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE DELIVER OUR SERVICES IN A NEW, SAFE AND HEALTHY WAY.
AND THEN WE'LL REVISIT THAT METRICS TO SEE IF IT'S TOO LOW, OR IF IN FACT WE SHOULD ELEVATE IT.
SO I HOPE THAT THAT GIVES YOU THE INFORMATION THERE.
YES, YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME THIS, UH, BRIAN ROV QUESTION AND, AND, UM, I'M NEW TO THIS PROCESS.
SO FORGIVE ME IF THIS IS OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE ELSE, BUT, UH, WHO INITIATED THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL KOREAN INSPECTIONS IS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY DOES OR THIS, SOMETHING THAT A HOMEOWNER DOES, OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? WELL, THERE'S MULTIPLE ELEMENTS OF THAT.
AS YOU UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY DIVISION, A COMMUNITY TREE DIVISION THAT REALLY, UH, FOCUSES ON STRATEGY AND POLICY,
[02:25:01]
AND THEY TAKE THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS FROM THE COMMISSION TO REALLY TALK ABOUT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF OUR PROGRAM.AND THEN WITH INSPECTIONS, WHAT WE'VE DONE, BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THIS COMBINATION OF INSPECTION APPROACH.
EVERY TIME SOMEONE GOES OUT TO INSPECT EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROLS, IF THERE ARE PROTECTED TREES ON THE SIDE, THEY ALSO LOOK AT THOSE AS WELL.
WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN IN THE FORM OF FEEDBACK FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS AN APPRECIATION OF HAVING EVERYTHING IDENTIFIED.
THAT'S NOT IN COMPLIANCE AT ONE TIME.
WE ALSO WILL SEND INSPECTORS OUT.
SHOULD THERE BE A COMPLAINT, UM, PHONED INTO THREE, ONE, ONE, IF THE COMMUNITY IS SEEING SOMETHING THAT THEY THINK IS NONCOMPLIANT AND WE'LL SEND SOMEONE OUT AS WELL.
OF COURSE, WE REALLY RELY ON OUR SIOUX CITY ARBORIST TO GUIDE US IN THESE EFFORTS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE REPEAT OFFENDERS, UH, WHERE THERE MAY BE SOME PROBLEMATIC ITEMS. AND, UM, OUR OPERAS WORKS WITH, UM, OUR DIVISION MANAGER ON THE INSPECTION TEAM TO ENSURE WE GET PEOPLE DISPATCHED IMMEDIATELY.
SHOULD THERE BE A CONCERN I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THIS? UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE NOTICED IS THAT, UM, WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF NOTIFYING NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN A PROTECTIVE TREE HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR REMOVAL.
AND SO WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS COMING INTO OUR ORGANIZATION ABOUT A PROTECTIVE TREE BEING REMOVED THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE COMMUNITY TREE DIVISION.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS ON HOW WE MIGHT INFORM THE COMMUNITY WHEN THAT DECISION HAS BEEN MADE SO THAT THERE'S NOT ALARM AND, AND PEOPLE DON'T WORRY ABOUT SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE HAPPENING.
SO I HOPE THAT ADDRESSES YOUR CONCERN.
SO COMMISSIONER BARRETT, BIXLER.
SO FOLLOW UP ON THAT QUESTION.
SO WOULD YOU SAY, I GUESS ONE OF THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF THESE EXPEC INSPECTIONS IS WHEN A PROPERTY OWNER IS, UM, RENOVATING OR ARE BUILDING NEW ART THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WRITE DOWN AND IN FLIPPING, I GUESS, CHANGING SQUARE FOOTAGE ON THEIR PROPERTY.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GENERATED BY SQUARE FOOTAGE.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE DEFINITELY HAVE A MAP OF WHERE CONSTRUCTION IS HAPPENING IN, YOU KNOW, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF OUR COMPLAINTS ARE IN-FIELD DEVELOPMENTS.
AND SO WHAT THE TEAM HAS DONE IS REALLY KIND OF FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE VISIBLE AND THAT WE'RE ACTIVE IN THOSE AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT INCENTIVIZES THE DEVELOPER TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR, WITH OUR THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR LUCAS FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING.
AND AGAIN, UH, JUST WANTED TO LET THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONERS KNOW THAT THIS NEW TRANSITION WITH THE CONSTRUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS IS NEW.
IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MONTHS OLD.
UH, THE URBAN FOREST STREET COMMITTEE HAS MET AND TALKED WITH DR.
LUCAS EXTENSIVELY AND MADE SUGGESTIONS.
SHE WAS, SHE EMBRACED AS DID HER STAFF.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR HELPFULNESS, UH, AND ANSWERING OUR CONCERNS THOSE MANY MONTHS.
AND IF I MIGHT SAY, I WILL NEVER DRIVE PAST ANOTHER TREE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH HAVING, WITHOUT HAVING A DEEP APPRECIATION ON THE HARD WORK YOUR COMMISSION HAS DONE TO MAKE THAT TREE AVAILABLE FOR ME TO ENJOY.
UH, MADAM CHAIRPERSON AND THE COMMISSION FOR ALL THE VALUABLE WORK.
ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, I MEAN, A COMMISSIONERS WAY ARE ON THREE C CAN WE HAVE A MOTION? MADAM CHAIR I'LL HAVE AN EMOTION WONDERFUL ON THE SUBJECT OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, FISCAL YEAR 2022 TO 26 FINANCIAL FORECAST.
UM, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS CHARGED WITH REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT'S ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.
[02:30:01]
SERVICES DEPARTMENT OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 IS PROPOSED TO BE 64.3 MILLION, APPROXIMATELY 100,000 MORE THAN FISCAL YEAR, 2021 BUDGET.WHEREAS THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT FORECAST REVENUE TO GROW APPROXIMATELY 4% FOR FISCAL YEARS, 2022, 23 AND 24, AND APPROXIMATELY 3% FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 26.
AND FINALLY, WHEREAS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS PROVIDED A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, DEALING THE DETAILING, THE TOTALS AND BREAKDOWN OF FUNDING FORECASTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2026, WHICH INCLUDES BACK, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE BACKUP FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM.
THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE DEPARTMENT SERVICES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SERVICES, FISCAL YEAR 2022 OPERATING BUDGET AND FIVE-YEAR REVENUE FORECAST WITH THE FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION AS WAS PRESENTED PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT DSD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE DETAILED BUDGET DOCUMENTATION PRIOR TO A REQUEST FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ACTION ON THE BUDGET.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? THANK YOU, BEDFORD.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WILL THEN PROCEED TO ROLL CALL COMMISSIONER CREOLE.
OH, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH THIS EVENING FOR COMING OUT.
BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE
[4a. Name: Omni Business Park, SP-2019-0300C]
ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.UH, FIRST UP IS ITEM FOUR, A OMNI BUSINESS PARK S P DASH 2019 DASH ZERO THREE OH OH C.
LOCATION IS AT SEVEN THREE OH FIVE BURLESON ROAD, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78 74 FOR DISTRICT TWO.
I BELIEVE THERE ISN'T A PRESENTATION AT THIS TIME, BUT WE ARE HAVING TWO REQUESTS REQUEST TO VARY FROM THE 1993 COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED ORDINANCE, SECTION 13 DASH SEVEN DASH 16 FOUR.
FILL EXCEEDING FOR FATE TO REQUEST TO VARY FROM A 1993 COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED ORDINANCE, SECTION THREE 13 DASH SEVEN DASH SIX B FOR CUT, EXCEEDING FOUR FEET.
WE HAVE AN APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK.
HOW SHALL WE PROCEED? I WOULD SUGGEST MAYBE THE, UH, CHRISTY WIND FROM THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT LAYOUT THE ITEM AND THEN THE APPLICANT.
MADAM CHAIRMAN COMMISSIONERS, AND YOU'LL HEAR ME GREAT.
THIS IS CHRISTIE WINN, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS SPECIALIST SENIOR WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE OMNI BUSINESS PARK PROJECT BASED NUMBER SP 2019 ZERO THREE ZERO ZERO C IS WITHIN THE OMNI BUSINESS PARK SUBDIVISION AND IS IN THE SUBURBAN WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION.
THE VARIANCE REQUEST IS FOR A CUT AND FILL TO EXCEED FOUR FEET, BUT LESS THAN EIGHT FEET.
AND IT'S TIED BACK TO THE 1993 COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED ORDINANCE.
THEREFORE REQUIRES A VARIANCE TO VARY FROM SECTION 13, SEVEN 16 EIGHT FOR FILL EXCEEDING FOUR FEET AND SECTION 13, SEVEN 16 B FOR CUT EXCEEDING FOUR FEET.
WHEREAS UNDER THE CURRENT CODE, A VARIANCE FOR CUT OR FILL OF NOT MORE THAN EIGHT FEET IN THE DESIRED DEVELOPMENT ZONE COULD BE REVIEWED AND APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVE WAY.
CHAPTER TWO 45 WAS GRANTED DUE TO, AND I QUOTE THE CHAPTER TWO 45 COMMITTEE FINDINGS DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THIS SUBDIVISION HAS OCCURRED UNDER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS BASED ON THE 1993 PROJECTS, IT IS DETERMINED THE 1993 PROJECT HAS NET PROGRESS AND IT'S AN ONGOING AND IS AN ONGOING PROJECT TO EXPAND ON THAT, TO EXPAND ON THE COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS, MORE THAN HALF OF THE SUBDIVISION HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND IS COMPRISED OF LIGHT INDUSTRIAL USE AND COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES.
MOREOVER, THE PROJECT SECTOR IS THE PROJECT SITE IS SURROUNDED BY SIMILAR ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT DUE TO THIS TYPE OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, GENERALLY REQUIRING A CONSISTENT INITIATIVE FOR ELEVATION OVER AN EXPANSIVE AREA.
THE SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENTS WERE GRANTED AND ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANTS TO SEE FOUR FEET OF CUT OR FILL UNDER CURRENT CODE, THEREBY THIS CUT AND FILL VARIANCE REQUEST MAY HAVE BEEN APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY.
IF SUBJECT TO CURRENT REGULATIONS FURTHER, THE CLINTONVILLE VARIANCE REQUEST WILL ADDRESS THE PREVIOUSLY PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS OCCURRED ON SITE, INCLUDING SPOILS PILE
[02:35:01]
AND CONSTRUCTION OF A DRAINAGE CHANNEL, WHICH WILL BE RECONSTRUCTED INTO MULTIPLE REPAIRING CORRIDORS AND AN IN-CHANNEL WETLAND WITH THIS PROJECT PROPOSAL.FOR THESE REASONS, STAFF HAS DETERMINED ALL VARIANCE FINDINGS HAVE BEEN MET AND RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE WITH CONDITIONS DETAILED IN STAFFS BACKUP MATERIAL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS AND COMMISSIONERS.
WE HAVE THE, THE APPLICANT, UM, IF YOU'RE READY AND CHRIS BRADFORD, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? I AM.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION OR JUST SPEAK TO THE ITEM IF, LET ME SPEAK TO THE ITEM BRIEFLY.
UH, AND JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS.
UH, NORMALLY, UH, THIS COMMISSION WOULDN'T EVEN BE HEARING THIS CASE.
IT WOULD HAVE JUST BEEN RANTED ADMINISTRATIVELY BY STAFF, BUT BECAUSE THE CASE IS GRANDFATHERED BACK TO 1993, IT WAS STAFF DETERMINATION AFTER EXTENSIVE BACK AND FORTH WITH THAT, THAT, UH, THE, UH, THE PROVISION FOR A VARIANT THAT WAS IN PLACE 1993, HAD TO BE PURSUED, WHICH AT THE TIME REQUIRED A LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE.
SO THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE BEFORE YOU ON SOMETHING THAT ORDINARILY WOULD NOT BE BEFORE YOU, UH, IF STAFF HAS MY PRESENTATION, UM, I WOULD ASK THEM TO PUT UP, UH, THE SECOND, THE SECOND SLIDE.
I JUST DON'T SEE IT ON THE SCREEN.
A SECOND SLIDE IS THE EXPO BUSINESS PARK AIR PHOTO OF AFFINITY.
AND THE, REALLY THE PURPOSE FOR THAT IS JUST TO SHOW THIS REALLY IS A CONTINUATION AND COMPLETION OF THE EXISTING, UH, INDUSTRIAL PARK AND THE USE IT'S GOING TO BE A BUSINESS SLASH WAREHOUSE PARK.
UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, TH THIS REQUIRES, YOU KNOW, WIDE FLAT AREAS TO ALLOW TRUCKS TO COME IN AND MANEUVER.
YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE SLENDER PARKING LOTS, YOU NEED FLAT APRONS, UH, FOR THE TRUCKS TO MANEUVER.
AND ALSO YOU NEED BASICALLY FOUR FEET OF CUT JUST TO HAVE A GREAT SEPARATION BETWEEN THE PAVEMENT AND THE TOP OF LOADING DOCK.
SO A SITE LIKE THIS HAS TO HAVE, UH, A LEVEL GROUND, UH, IF YOU COULD STAND DOWN TO THE TOP OF THE MAP, UH, THAT IS, I GUESS IT'S SLIDE FOUR OR FIVE.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY PAGE FIVE OF YOUR PDF.
SO ANYWAY, THE TOP LOAD JUST SHOWS THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT STEEPLY SLOPING, IT'S SLOPING, UM, FROM DOWN FROM SOUTH TO NORTH.
AND YOU CAN SEE ON THERE, SOME OF THESE SPOILED TILES THAT WERE LEFT OVER FROM CONSTRUCTION, UH, MANY YEARS AGO.
AND SO SOME OF THE CUT THAT IS OCCURRING HERE IS ACTUALLY REMOVING OR DIGGING INTO THESE, THESE OLD SPOIL PILES.
UM, SO THE NEXT UP, IS IT THE LAST PAGE? YEAH.
THE LAST PAGE OF THIS PDF SHOWS THE LOCATION OF THE CUT AND FILL.
UM, AS CHRISTIE MENTIONED, UH, THERE IS A, AN EXISTING CHANNEL, WHICH IS FRANKLY, A LITTLE MORE THAN, THAN A DITCH RIGHT NOW, RUNNING THROUGH THE PROPERTY.
AND AS PART OF OUR DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPANDING THE DITCH AND DEEPENING IN SOME PLACES, UH, TO ENHANCE IT AS A WETLAND THAT I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE A TWENTY-FIVE FOOT FLAT SURFACE, BOTTOM, UH, UH, CHANNEL NOW, UH, WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, WATER SENSITIVE, UH, PLANTS, AND IT'S REALLY GOING TO ENHANCE IT WELL WELL ABOVE THE NATURAL CONDITION.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT SOME OF THAT CUT IS FOR THAT CHANNEL, UH, TO WIDEN AND DEEPEN THAT CHANNEL.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE'S ALSO CUT FOR, UH, THE WATER QUALITY POND, WHICH LIKEWISE WILL BE PLANTED WITH, YOU KNOW, UH, APPROPRIATE, UH, PLANTS, UM, TO MITIGATE THE EFFECT OF THIS PROJECT.
THEN YOU'LL SEE SOME CUT ON THE, UM, SPOIL PILE TO THE NORTH EAST AND SPOOL PILE TO THE WEST.
AND THAT REALLY IS MOST OF THE CUT ON THIS PROPERTY.
UH, AND AS FAR AS THE FILM GOES, THERE IS SOME, YOU SEE THE LOCATION IN PURPLE.
UM, IT REALLY IS NECESSARY IN THOSE LOCATIONS JUST TO HAVE A FLAT SURFACE, UH, ABOUT THE, THE OFFICE SLASH WAREHOUSE BUILDINGS.
I MEAN, IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE, PRETTY SIMPLE CASE.
I THINK THE NECESSITY FOR IT IS, IS PRETTY CLEAR.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO STRESS THAT THE OWNERS ARE DOING SOMETHING, UH, WITH THIS PROPERTY TO ENHANCE IT, UH, ENVIRONMENTALLY, UH, I THINK SOMETHING THAT FRANKLY, PERHAPS BEYOND
[02:40:01]
WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO, BUT, UM, CHRIS, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED IF YOU'D LIKE TO DISCLOSE, PLEASE.SO I'M JUST GOING TO WRAP IT UP THERE AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, I THINK, YEAH, A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, LET ME HAVE SOME FURTHER DISCUSSION.
IS THAT RIGHT? I MOVED, I MOVED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON, ON THIS ONE THEN, IF NOT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I HAVE A MOTION, UH, ON ITEM FOUR, A, UM, OMNI BUSINESS PARK AS P 2019 DASH ZERO THREE ZERO ZERO SEAT.
WHEREAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZED THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE FROM THE 1993 COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED ORDINANCE, SECTION 13 DASH SEVEN DASH ONE SIX, A FULFILL EXCEEDING FOUR FEET AND SECTION 13 DASH SEVEN 16 B, OR CUT EXCEEDING FOUR FEET.
AND WHEREAS THE VERMONT COMMISSION RECOGNIZED THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS VARIANCE WITH, WITH ONE WITH THREE CONDITIONS, HAVING DETERMINED, THE FINDINGS OF FACT HAVE BEEN MET.
THEREFORE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE VARIANCE REQUEST WITH THE FOLLOWING.
THE VARIANCES REQUESTED WITH THE FOLLOWING THREE STAFF CONDITIONS.
ONE PRESERVE THE TOP 12 INCHES OF TOPSOIL TO BE USED ON SITE.
NUMBER TWO, INCREASED LANDSCAPING FOR AREAS OF FILL TO STABILIZE EROSION AND NUMBER THREE, PROVIDE ENHANCED EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROLS DURING CONSTRUCTION.
SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BEDFORD SET OUT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, THEN I'LL DO ROLL CALL, UH, COMMISSIONER BEDFORD.
UH, COMMISSIONER BARRY BIXLER.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, UM, MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR LAST ANIMAL OF THE NIGHT.
THANKS SO MUCH TO STAFF AND APPLICANT PERMANENT SPEAK WITH US.
[4b. Name: Winchestertonfieldville]
OR B WINCHESTER TO FEEL ADVIL.UH, AND THEN WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE AND ALSO, I BELIEVE STAFF MAKING THE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS TO FLIP SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, CHRIS, HOW DO YOU WANT TO START THIS ONE OFF? I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY ARBORISTS WILL LAY OUT THE CASE FOR THE COMMISSION.
I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT WAS GOING TO LAY OUT THE CASE AND THEN I'LL, OH, I APOLOGIZE.
YOU'LL HAVE, UH, THREE MINUTES.
DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? OKAY.
GIVE US ONE MOMENT TO GET THAT UP AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
AND THEN JUST PLEASE TELL US TO ADVANCE THE SLIDES.
UH, DOES IT SAY STEVE? MY APOLOGIES.
ALL WE HAVE LOADED IS THE, UH, BACKUP REPORT FROM THE ARBORIST THAT HAS PICTURES, WHICH WE CAN SHOW, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM YOU.
LET ME, UH, MAKING A QUICK ADJUSTMENT.
SO, UM, THE PICTURES THAT YOU HAVE, UH, THE BACKUP REPORT FROM THE ARBORIST, UM, CAN YOU PUT THAT UP FOR ME AND I'LL TAKE A LOOK.
YES, STEVE, THE, UM, TREE NINE ONE THREE, UH, THE FIRST PICTURE IN THE ARBORIST REPORT IS SHOWN ON THE SCREEN NOW.
AND WE'LL RELAX THE TIME, I THINK, TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE SINCE THIS IS OKAY.
UM, COMMISSION, UH, MY NAME IS STEVE DRAENOR, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
[02:45:01]
SITE IN UNO.UM, IT'S ABOUT 19,000 FEET, UH, POINT 0.3 ACRES.
AND, UH, IT HAS TWO TREES, UM, ONE IN POOR CONDITION, ONE IN FAIR CONDITION THAT ARE LOCATED FOR THE MOST PART RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SITE.
SO, UH, AFTER GOING THROUGH A, A PROCESS WITH STAFF, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT THE, UH, TREES, UH, MET THE STANDARDS, UH, FOR PREVENTING REASONABLE USE OF THE SITE, THE, UH, THE TREE THAT'S IN POOR CONDITION AS A 25 INCH PECAN.
THE, UH, TREE THAT'S IN PEAR CONDITION IS A 32 INCH RED OAK.
AND I'LL LET THE CITY ARBORIST COMMENT ON THE CONDITION OF THOSE TREES, UM, WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND, UH, WHAT I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU WAS, UH, WE HAVE TRIED TO REFLECT DIFFERENT BUILDING LAYOUTS.
UH, THE, OBVIOUSLY THE PURPOSE FOR LUNO AND, UH, WAS TO, TO ALLOW A DANCE STUDENT HOUSING.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE WITH AN N SITE AND IN THIS PARTICULAR SIDE IS YOU'VE GOT STEP BACKS ON THREE DIFFERENT STREETS, UH, THAT, THAT FURTHER REDUCES THE POTENTIAL FOOTPRINT BY ABOUT 20% OF THE SITE.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT, UH, THAT I WOULD POINT OUT TO YOU IS, UM, IN TRYING TO LAY OUT, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, WAYS TO HAVE A STUDENT HOUSING PROJECT ON THIS, UH, THE, THE, IN PARTICULAR, THE RED OAK THAT'S, UH, THE TREE THAT'S IN FAIR CONDITION IS REALLY RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SITE.
AND THERE REALLY IS NO VIABLE WAY TO CREATE A RAMP TO ALLOW THERE TO BE A STUDENT HOUSING PROJECT.
THE OTHER THING IS IN AND LEAVING POTENTIALLY LEAVING THOSE EMPLOYEES.
YOU JUST DON'T GET ANY VIABLE FLOOR PLATES, SORRY, THAT I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PICTURE THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT THIS IS A PRE PROPOSED TO BE A 307 UNIT STUDENT HOUSING PROJECT WITH 884 BEDS.
THE, UH, AFFORDABLE BEDS WOULD TOTAL 177.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S DETAILED, I THINK IN YOUR BACKUP IS THE MITIGATION THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, WHICH, UM, ENCOMPASSES A NUMBER OF ITEMS, UH, FROM, UH, THE PLANNING OF STREET TREES TO, UM, GREATER DOING SOME THINGS FROM A STRUCTURAL STORM SOIL STANDPOINT, PERMEABLE PAVING, UH, EXPANDED CONTINUOUS PLANNING BEDS, UH, AND THEN A MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, AS WELL AS, UM, ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR WORK UP AND DOWN THE STREET.
UH, WE THINK THAT WE'VE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, ANY NORMAL, UH, MITIGATION REQUIREMENTS, BUT THE MAIN THING HERE IS WE'VE GOT THE, UH, WE JUST GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THESE TREES.
UH, THERE IS JUST NO BIBLE WAY TO DEVELOP A PROJECT, UH, ON THIS SITE.
I'LL STOP THERE, UH, APOLOGIES FOR THE CONFUSION THERE.
SO WE DO HAVE YOUR POWERPOINT LOADED NOW AND IS VISIBLE.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPECIFICALLY POINT OUT IN THAT POWERPOINT THAT'S OKAY.
JUST LET US KNOW WHICH SLIDE NUMBER, UM, YOU WOULD LIKE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S THE SECOND SLIDE SHOWING THE, UM, THE OVERALL SITE ARIEL, RIGHT.
IF HE COULD MOVE ONE, TWO, THREE MORE SLIDES DOWN, YOU SHOULD HAVE A AERIAL PICTURE OF THE LOCATION OF THE YES, SIR.
IT'S UP NOW, IF YOU'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN THAT IN ANY MORE DETAIL, UH, THAT, THAT I THINK, UM, IT REFLECTS, UH, THE, THE SITE IN ITS, IT REFLECTS THE LOCATION OF THOSE TREES.
IT REFLECTS THE STEP BACKS ON THE SURROUNDING, UM, STREETS.
SO, UH, I THINK AGAIN, GIVEN THE SIZE OF THIS AND, AND, UH, WHAT IS TO BE ACHIEVED AND, YOU KNOW, UH, THE TREES JUST DOES NOT ALLOW FOR REASONABLE USE OF THE SITE.
AND AGAIN, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE ON THE SLIDES THAT YOU NEED TO DISPLAY, FEEL FREE TO TAKE US QUICKLY THROUGH THOSE TOO.
AND THEN EVERYBODY'S BEEN GOING FOR A WHILE TONIGHT.
CHRIS CLARIFY, SINCE I DIDN'T READ IT INTO THE RECORD, UH, FOUR WEST 24TH.
[02:50:01]
YOU.UM, THIS CASE PRIMARILY WAS A REASONABLE USE CASE.
UH, NOT SO MUCH ON THE CONDITION OF THE TREE.
I CAN GO OVER MY ASSESSMENT OF THE TREE ITSELF OR BOTH TREES.
UM, THE, IT IS IN THE UNITED DISTRICT.
UH, IT IS ABOUT STUDENT HOUSING AND IF WE WANT TO KIND OF, WE CAN PULL UP MY REPORT, UM, CITY HALL AND WE CAN KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT.
THEY PROBABLY GOT US, THEY DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO TREES.
ONE, IS THERE A RED OAK? UH, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT, UH, DEEP X IN THIS RED OAK.
UM, IT IS A HERITAGE TREE DOES HAVE A SIGNIFICANT LIEN, SOME STRUCTURAL ISSUES WITH INCLUDE BARK AND OVEREXTENDED LIMB.
UM, IF WE SCROLL DOWN, I CAN EXPLAIN THAT MORE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THE PRIMARY FOCUS ON THIS CASE IS REASONABLE USE, NOT SO MUCH THE CONDITIONS WITH THE TREE, BUT IT DOES PLAY A FACTOR IN THAT AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS SLIDE, OR IT MAYBE A LITTLE HARD TO DEMONSTRATE, BUT YOU HAVE ONE SINGLE ATTACHMENT ON THIS TREE AND ALL THE BIG NAME LEADERS COMING OFF OF BIG, RIGHT WHERE THE BIG MAIN LEADERS FOR ATTACHED IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DEFECT, UM, THAT DOES, UH, POSE A SAFETY CONCERN.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE BACKGROUND OF THAT PICTURE, UH, THE TREE BEHIND IT, OTHER RED OAK WAS LIGHTNING STRIKE AND A PREVIOUS, AND THESE BECAME A RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT WAS SCROLLED DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE OR THE NEXT SLOT OR NEXT PAGE, UH, THIS REGARDING THE 25 INCH PECAN.
UH, IT DOES HAVE A MAJOR CAVITY IN THE LEADER.
THAT'S OVERHANGING THE VEHICLES AND THE STREET IT'S GOT SIGNIFICANT, UH, CROONING, MOST LIKELY DUE TO STORMS IN THE REGULAR PRUNE THAT, UM, THAT THE PRIMES DO TEND TO DO SPECIES PROFILE.
IF YOU WANT TO SCROLL, ROLL DOWN AT THE SECOND IT'S BEEN SCROLLING OR DOWN TO THE OTHER, UH, PICTURES, BOTH TREES ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY PERVIOUS, UM, PAVEMENT.
THIS ONE IS STARTING TO GURGLE INTO THE DECKING, MEANING THAT IT'S CUTTING OFF KIND OF THE GROWING TISSUE OF THE TREE AND EXPANDING SIGNIFICANTLY.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, A LARGE HIGH-RISE PER STUDENT, HOW HOUSING, UM, WHAT THE, THIS IS PART OF BEING STARTING OFF, OR IT IS A PRE-DEVELOPMENT CONSULTATION.
ONE OF THE SERVICES WE OFFER WHERE WE EXPLAIN THE TREE REGULATIONS IN REGARDS TO TREES AND PROPERTY AND DEVELOPMENT.
SO THIS IS NOT COMING IN AS A SITE PLAN RATHER THAN A CONSULTATION.
UM, IT NEEDS, UH, BECAUSE THE TREES ARE SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROPERTY.
AND, UH, WE DO FIND IT TO, UM, THEORY, A SMALL USE VARIANCE REQUEST.
AGAIN, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WITH THESE TREES, BUT IT'S MORE SO ON THE REASONABLE FAST, AND THAT IT'S UNDER CHAPTER 25, EIGHT SIX FOUR TWO EIGHT TWO.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, AS THE APPLICANT DID SAY, THEY ARE PRESENTED WITH SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF, UM, MITIGATION, AND THAT DOES INCLUDE, UH, STREET TREES AND, UM, USE OF CIVIL CELLS, MEANING THAT WE CAN GET THESE TREATS OR THEY CAN GIVE THESE TREES SIGNIFICANT SOIL VOLUME AND, UM, VERY GOOD TREE SPECIES.
AND, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT WAS VERY MUCH I CAN SUPPORT IS THE MAINTENANCE OF THESE TREES RATHER THAN HAVING PUBLIC WORKS THAT THEY DO PLANT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, DOES NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM.
THE DEVELOPER IS PROPOSING TO PAY FOR THAT AND, UM, AND PUTTING IN SOME SERIOUS INFRASTRUCTURE AND GIVE PRIESTS, UM, BREASTFEED.
SO I'M HAPPY TO, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WE HAVEN'T THINK WE NEED TO GO TO A FLIP SIDE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
UH, KRISTA, WE STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS, AND THEN PERHAPS WE CAN GET THAT AROUND TO ANY QUESTIONS.
WE DO HAVE TWO SPEAKERS REGISTERED ON THIS ITEM.
[02:55:01]
IN ADDITION TO THE APPLICANT, MICHAEL, IF YOU'RE ON THE LINE, YES.CAN YOU HEAR ME? MY NAME IS MICHAEL FOSTER MOM WITH THE AWESOME HERITAGE TREE FOUNDATION.
THE VARIANCE FOR TREE NUMBER NINE 11 IS ADMINISTRATIVE, AND WE RECOMMEND THAT TREE BE MITIGATED AT 300% BECAUSE IT IS IN FAIR HEALTH.
WE OPPOSED THE VARIANCE FOR TREE NUMBER NINE 13, AND ASK AT THIS SIGN AND BE ASSIGNED TO THE TREE GROUP TO BE DISCUSSED IN MORE DETAIL.
THE 32 INCH RED OAK IS IN GOOD HEALTH AND COULD BE TRANSPLANTED AT PRUNE TO RESOLVE THE LIMB IMBALANCE.
HOWEVER, THE CLOSEST TRANSPLANT SITE AVAILABLE WOULD BE PEACE PARK, AND THAT IS 12 BLOCKS AWAY.
THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCES FOCUSES ON PRESERVATION, NOT ON TRADE INCREASE FOR MONEY.
IN FACT, BEFORE DISCUSSING MITIGATION, THE APPLICANT MUST DEMONSTRATE WITH SKETCHES OR BASIC DESIGN DRAWINGS THAT THEY CONSIDERED DESIGN ALTERNATIVES, BUT NONE COULD PRESERVE THE HERITAGE TREES ON SITE AND THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER VARIANCES THAT THE AFRICAN COULD HAVE PLOPPED PRESERVING THE TREES ONLY HERITAGE STREETS THAT ARE AN IMMINENT HAZARD ARE EXEMPTED FROM THESE TWO CONDITIONS.
WE FEEL THAT THE APPLICANT MET THE CONDITIONS FOR THE ORDINANCE BY SHOWING 3D VISION CONCEPTS FOR THE BUILDING.
UNFORTUNATELY, FOR THIS SPECIFIC CASE, THE CONDITIONS ARE THAT THE LAW IS SMALL, THE TREES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOT.
AND IF PRESERVED, THE TREE WOULD BE SHADED OUT BY THE NEW AND SURROUNDING BUILDINGS, THE AFRICAN IS PROPOSING TO PAY FOR THE COSTS OF TRANSPLANTING AND FIVE YEARS OF MAINTENANCE FOR THE RED OAK TO IMPROVE THE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF 14 TREES.
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PLAN AS PART OF THE PROJECT.
THEY PROPOSED PAY $140,000 FOR THIS.
HOWEVER, THE TRANSPLANT COSTS AND FIVE YEARS OF MAINTENANCE IS MORE LIKELY TO COST BETWEEN 225 TO 290,000.
THE APPLICANT SHOULD PAY THE LARGER AMOUNT.
IF IT IS DECIDED THAT THIS IS A BETTER OPTION THAN TRANSPLANTING THE TREE, A BID CAN BE SOLICITED FOR THE ACTUAL COSTS OF TRANSPLANTING.
WE RECOMMEND THAT THE 14TH STREET TREES REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT WE PLANNED WITH BOTH THE SOIL CELLS AND EXTENDED PLANTING BEDS.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF ZOLA VEGA IS STILL ON THE LINE.
YEAH, I THINK VICE-CHAIR, I THINK, I BELIEVE THAT COMPLETES OUR REGISTERED SPEAKERS FOR THIS TIME.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UH, UH, FOR, UH, NAOMI, UH, THE STREET TREES THAT ARE GOING TO BE PLANTED.
UM, WHAT'S THE AVERAGE LIFESPAN OF A STREET TREE TREE.
UH, IT DOES DEPEND ON THE SPECIES.
IT DOES DEPEND ON A DIRECTION WHERE IT'S PLANTED PIECE WENT NORTH SOUTH.
UM, IT DEPENDS ON THE MAINTENANCE OF THE TREE.
IT DEPENDS ON MONITORING GENE.
SO VERY MANY FACTORS, UM, IN A TYPICAL TREE, WELL, IT CAN BE 40 YEARS, UH, IN MANY CITIES ACROSS THE NATION.
THEY'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH THE USE OF SOIL CELLS AND GIVING THAT TREE LOT OF, UH, SOIL VOLUME.
SO THE AVERAGE LIFESCAN SPAN OF A TREE CAN NOT ONLY BE MUCH LONGER, IT CAN GROW FASTER.
THERE'S TONS OF RESEARCH OUT THERE ON THESE USE OF THESE, UM, SOIL CELLS.
AND THE BENEFITS OF THEM TOO, IS YOU CAN FIT UTILITIES IN WITH THESE TREATS.
UM, SO LIFESPAN IS NOT THAT SHORT, BUT IT ALSO, THE BIGGEST FACTOR IS SOIL VOLUME AND, AND, AND SELECTING EXCELLENT TREE RD SPECIES.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THE RED OAKS, THEY ARE NOT AS LONG LIVED, AS YOU ALL KNOW, ADDICTS, UM, LIVE OAKS, UH, THEY SOMETIMES DO HAVE STRUCTURAL ISSUES
UM, THEY ARE, LIKE I SAID, NOT AS LONG LIVED, BUT, UH, THERE'S JUST BEEN AMAZING DATA ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF USING THIS NEW TECHNIQUES TO PLANT TREES AND HAVE THEM GROW FASTER AND PROVIDE MORE CAMPION SHAPE.
AND W WHAT TYPE OF CREEK WOULD THEY BE PLANTING HERE? WOULD THESE BE A NATIVES, UH, TEXAS NATIVES, USUALLY, YES.
SO THESE WOULD BE APPENDIX A APPENDIX F SPECIES AND
[03:00:01]
THE LIVE FOLKS, UM, THE CEDAR ROUNDS.AND IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE DESIGN PROCESS THAT THEY CHOOSE TO USE.
SO, YES, AND THE DEVELOPER WOULD HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MAINTAINING THESE, UH, TREES AND SEEDING THAT THE, UH, THE SOIL IS NOT AT FIRSTLY COMPACTED AND THE ROOT SYSTEM HAS ADEQUATE SPACE TO GROW, UH, GOING FORWARD.
UH, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY BEING PLANTED IN A SIDEWALK, ISN'T AN OPTIMUM SOLUTION FOR CRITIC ROW.
ONE OF THE, UM, PART OF THE, THE PRESENTATION THAT I THINK IS UP ON THAT SITE WAS KIND OF THE USE OF THE SOIL AND YOU PICTURES OF THESE SOIL CELLS.
UM, NOT ONLY JUST THE MAINTENANCE OF THE SOIL, BUT ONE OF THE OVERLOOKED, UH, ISSUES WITH TREES IN URBAN, UH, SURROUNDING IS ALSO PRUNING AND MAINTENANCE AND PEST CONTROL.
SO IF YOU HAVE A SMALL TREE AND YOU WANT IT TO GROW, YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT AND CORRECT ANY KIND OF STRUCTURAL DEFECTS IN THE VERY BEGINNING CLEARANCE ISSUES, OR DO SOME ITM MANAGEMENT ON IT.
UM, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UM, IS NOT ABLE TO DO A MAINTENANCE ON TREES THAT MAYBE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE, BUT, UM, THERE'S BEEN REAL SUCCESS IN TERMS OF PUTTING, YOU KNOW, UH, MAINTAINING TREES WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG AND STARTING TO GROW AND, UH, BREAKING PEOPLE'S HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I THINK WITH HER BEDFORD WAS TRYING TO SPEAK UP AND THEN GO WITH HER.
UM, IF IT'S BEEN LIKE, IF THE TREES GET RELOCATED, UM, HAS THERE BEEN LIKE A DESIGNATED AREA TO WHERE THEY WOULD REPLAY AT THE TREE OR IS IT JUST, IS IT STILL KIND OF IN THE THOUGHT PROCESS? IT'S NOT QUITE IN THOUGHT PROCESS.
UM, WE REQUIRE A FEASIBILITY STUDY, UH, WHEN WE DO ANY KIND OF TRANSPLANT TEAM, UM, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE TREE IS IN VERY GOOD HEALTH, IT'S A GOOD CANDIDATE.
AND IT ALSO DEPENDS ON THE SPECIES.
UM, SO THE LOT IS VERY SMALL AND WE DON'T SEE A PLACE.
USUALLY WE DO, LIKE IF THERE'S NOT A PLACE ON THE LOT TO THERE, AND THEN TO TRANSPLANT INTO NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS PRESENTS SOME, UH, DIFFICULTIES WITH IN TERMS OF THE UTILITY OVERHEAD UTILITY COMPLEX IN THE RIGHT OF WAY AND SUCH, BUT, UM, BUT NOT SO MUCH.
I MEAN, THIS IS, AND THERE IS A BIG STRUCTURAL DEFECT ON THIS REDDOUGH CAUSE, WELL, UM, THERE ARE CERTAINLY ARBORICULTURE TECHNIQUES YOU CAN DO TO MEDICATE ARRESTS, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE RECOMMENDED ON THIS ONE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE APPLICANT TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, LET'S SEE, SECTION TWO REMOVAL OF THE HERITAGE TREE IS NOT BASED ON A CONDITION CAUSED BY THE METHOD CHOSEN BY THE APPLICANT TO DEVELOP THE PROPERTY.
UM, CAN WE SHARE OUR TOP 10? CAN YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN? REMOVAL OF THE HERITAGE TREE IS NOT BASED ON A CONDITION CAUSED BY THE METHOD CHOSEN BY THE APPLICANT TO DEVELOP THE PROPERTY.
UM, I THINK WE, UH, AS YOU CAN TELL FROM THE PICTURES AND ALSO FROM WHAT THE CITY ARVR SAID, UM, THERE IS NO WAY TO DEVELOP THIS SITE THAT WOULD LEAVE THAT TREE INTACT, NO REASONABLE WAY TO DEVELOP THIS ON THE SIDE.
IT'S RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SITE.
UH, AND WITH A, WITH A 19,000 FOOT SITE, THAT'S BEEN FURTHER REDUCED ON THREE SIDES, UH, BY THE SETBACKS.
UH, THERE IS NO, THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY TO DEVELOP IT.
SO IT'S NOT A METHODOLOGY ISSUE.
IT'S JUST IF YOU'RE GOING TO REDEVELOP THE SITE, UM, BUT THE TREE, UH, CANNOT STAY.
SO I GUESS I'M THINKING THAT YOU HAVE A LOT WITH A TREE AND YET YOU CHOSE TO DEVELOP IT.
AND I MEAN, THAT IS AN IMPASSE BECAUSE THAT IS INDIRECT.
[03:05:02]
I MEAN, YOU CHOSE TO DEVELOP IT IN THIS WAY.THE TREE IS EXISTING, AND YET YOU ARE PROPOSING SOMETHING THAT THE TREE WOULD PREVENT.
YOUR PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPMENT IS SIMPLY THAT A PROPOSAL.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE'RE ASKED TO DENY REALITY HERE AND SAYING THE CART DID NOT COME BEFORE THE HORSE.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TO FOLLOW THE CODE AND THE CODES EXPRESSLY CALLS OUT FOR THE POTENTIAL REMOVAL OF A TREE.
IF, IF, IF THERE IS NO REASONABLE WAY TO DEVELOP A SITE, THAT'S NOT ME SAYING THAT THAT'S WHAT THE CODE AND STAMP AGREES.
THERE IS NO REASONABLE WAY TO DEVELOP THE SITE AND LEAVE THE TREE.
THE SIDE AT THE SIDE AT PRESENT HAS, UM, AN EXISTING USE.
WHAT YOU WANT IS MORE SO BESIDE, AT PRESENT EXISTS IN IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH THE TREES EXISTING, SO, OR ANY FREE, WOULDN'T THAT BE THE CASE FOR ANY SITE? IF YOU SAY, WELL, THE TREE, IF THE TREE IS THERE FIRST, THEN YOU'RE DENYING THE VALIDITY OF THAT CODE SECTION THAT SAYS, IF YOU CAN'T PROVIDE REASONABLE DEVELOPMENT, THAT THE TREE CAN BE REMOVED, WE'RE ASKING TO APPLY THE CODE.
WELL, THERE IS REASONABLE DEVELOPMENT THERE EXISTING, UM, WITH THE TREE.
SO WHAT YOU WANT IS MORE DEVELOPMENT THEN, WELL, THE SITE AT PRESENT WILL ALLOW, AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU WANT MORE DEVELOPMENT ON THAT SITE.
THEN THE ECOLOGICAL FEATURES WILL ALLOW.
AND I GUESS I JUST HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
WE HAVE VERY LIMITED SPACES IN THAT AREA THAT HAVE TREES OF THAT SIZE.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER, BETTER FOR THE SURROUNDING AREA TO MAYBE HAVE A COFFEE TRUCK, PRESERVE THE TREES AND TO USE IT FOR THE CULTURAL BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE GREEN SPACE THAT'S ALLOWED IN THAT AREA IS MOSTLY AT UT.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR HOUSING, BUT YOUR DENSITY IS WHAT IS CAUSING THE TREE TO BE REMOVED IN MY OPINION.
THANKS, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION OR COMMENTS.
UM, HERE'S MY, UH, ISSUE WITH SOME OF WHAT I'VE HEARD THIS EVENING.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IS THAT THE DESIGN.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT STAFF, I'M TALKING TO THE APP, MR. DRAENOR, UM, YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU LOOKED AT SPECIFIC DESIGNS WITH OUR CITY OPERA AND SHE AGREED THAT THOSE DESIGNS COULD NOT WORK.
AND THE ORIGIN, THE CITY ARBORIST MOUTH, BUT, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST ASKING HER THAT QUESTION.
THAT IS MY, SO YOU WERE SEEING SPECIFIC DESIGNS THAT COULD NOT WORK, CORRECT? YES.
AND SO THEN ONE OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS I'M HAVING IS THAT WE'RE LOSING A LOT OF HERITAGE TREES TO THE UNO OVERLAY THERE.
WE HAD SIX MET TOWN WAS HERE, WE GOT TWO TREES REMOVED.
AND SO AS THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE DOES LOOK OFFS, ANOTHER CONCERN IS THAT I SAT THROUGH A COUNCIL MEETING WHERE THEY BROUGHT FORTH, TRYING TO EVEN INCREASE THE LUNAR UNO OVERLAY IN AREAS THAT BEFORE HAVE NEVER BEEN CONSIDERED.
SO IT'S GOING TO EVEN BE MORE DENSITY, SHOULD THAT GET UNDER THE RADAR WITH K'NEX OR HOWEVER, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO THAT.
SO ARE THE SIZE OF THESE TREES, UH, IS THIS THE GUIDELINES WITH THE UNO OVERLAY OR CAN WE SUGGEST A BIGGER TREE,
[03:10:01]
LESS TREES, BUT BIGGER, MORE SUBSTANTIAL TREES BECAUSE THE LOSS OF CANOPY AND THE NEED FOR US TO MAINTAIN THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IS VITAL TO THIS AREA.SO I CAN WRAP MY HEAD AROUND, NO, WE NEED BEANIE TREES, BUT SOMETHING VERY SUBSTANTIAL THAT WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY GROW AND ENHANCE THE AREA AND WHAT WE PROVIDE TO THAT COMMUNITY.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AND I'M ASKING THAT TO THE ARBORIST WELL, SHE'S MUTED.
OH, JEROME, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
UM, ONE OF THE CONSTRAINTS AND ONE OF THE CONSTRAINTS ON THIS TREE, THE RED OAK IN PARTICULAR IS THE LACK OF ROAST SPACE, UM, AND THE SURROUNDING PREVIOUS COVER.
SO WHAT, UM, WHAT THE SOIL CELLS AND THE DEUCE THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN DO IS IT CAN TAKE A PRETTY BIG SIZE TREE.
AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS THEY CAN GROW VARIED.
UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH THIS PARTICULAR RED OAK IS THAT AGAIN, IT IS SHORT-LIVED, UM, IT'S JUST SHORT LITTLE SPECIES AND IT DOES HAVE A MAJOR STRUCTURAL DEFECT.
UM, IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ME, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, HAVE, UM, MY DIVISION MANAGERS SPEAK ON TREES AND DEVELOPMENT IN PARTICULAR IN THAT SECTION OF CODE, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT IN AUSTIN AS WELL.
HI, GOOD EVENING CHAIR FROM SHARES, KEITH MARS, A DIVISION MANAGER, UNITY TREE PRESERVATION DIVISION.
UH, I THINK THIS MAY BE THE THIRD HERITAGE TREE VARIANCE SO THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS SEEN IN THE LET'S SEE, 11 YEARS OUT OF THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE.
UH, I THINK TH THE COMMISSIONER HAS A VERY GOOD, GOOD POINT.
SO WE HAVE STAFF AND CITY ARBORIST HAVE REVIEWED, UH, THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSAL, UH, ACCOUNT TO ADDRESS THIS IN TWO WAYS.
FIRST IS JUST THAT THE ASPECT OF REASONABLE USE, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE IS THE CODE PROVISION THAT THE APPLICANT CAN REQUEST REMOVAL FOR REASONABLE USE AND REASONABLE ACCESS.
THOSE ARE PRIMARILY THE DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT OF, UH, OF WHEN VARIANCES ARE NECESSITATED, UH, YOU KNOW, AND JUST THE BASIC ZONING ALONE MAKES PRESERVING TREES, CHALLENGING GIVING THE INTENDED USE, UH, LOOKING AT SURROUNDING AND NOT, NOT PUTTING IT, NOT, NOT CREATING A SITUATION WHERE IT'S A KIND OF A CLEAR DEPRIVATION OF, OF A SIMILAR USE.
SO WE LOOKED AT THIS FROM THE, FROM THE ASPECT OF NOT JUST IN THIS PROJECT GOES ON FROM THE RESIDENTIAL USE, BUT THEN ALSO THE PARKING USE, I KNOW AS PARKING HAS COME UP TO THIS COMMISSION A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND I BELIEVE ACTUALLY CHAIRED RARER WITH SUSPENSE CENTER QUITE A BIT OF TIME ON THE UNO, UH, ISSUE WITH PARKING.
SO THEN THE NAOMI AS THE CITY OF ARBORISTS, AND I LOOKED OVER THESE PLANS, WE HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME EVEN LOOKING AT THIS, THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS OF HOW DO YOU PUT DOWN A FOOT, HOW DO YOU PUT DOWN A FOREFOOT FOR MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE, UH, WITH, OR WITHOUT A GARAGE, UH, IN OUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, PREVENTATIVE REASONS PREVENTED REASONABLE USE OF THE PROPERTY.
MY SECOND PART TO THAT CODE C CODE ALSO SAYS THAT THE APPLICANT USED TO LOOK AT OTHER VARIANCES WAIVERS OR MARKETING A CODE THAT WOULD PRESERVE THE TREE, GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THESE, OF THE TREES, GIVEN THE, THE EXISTING SETBACKS.
UM, AGAIN, THAT BOARDED ON BOTH REASONABLE USE AND REASONABLE ACCESS, OFTENTIMES GO HAND IN HAND.
BUT, UH, BUT AGAIN, WE DID NOT SEE RELIEF FROM OTHER ASPECTS OF CODE WOULD HAVE PRESERVED THESE TREES.
UH, TH THE THIRD AND FINAL POINT, I JUST WANT TO ELABORATE ON IS WE DO BELIEVE THE MITIGATION STRATEGIES PROPOSED DO PROVIDE A LONG TERM NEED AND FULFILL A LONGTERM NEEDS AREA OF THE CITY, ALL OFFICERS RELEASE IN GENERAL.
WE NEED LONGER LIVE TREES IN OUR RIGHT-OF-WAY SOIL FOR A QUALITY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IN THE URBAN CONTEXT.
[03:15:02]
UH, AS THEIR CEO EXPLAINED IS THE SINGLE GREATEST THING THAT WE CAN DO TO, TO HELP FOSTER LONGER LITTLE TREES, UH, AND BETTER TREES FOR THE COMMUNITY.SO BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING, YOU PROPOSING 14 TREES, WHICH YOU ARE.
I DIDN'T REALLY GET THE ANSWER TO AS YOU'RE PROPOSING PROPOSAL 14 TREES THAT WILL, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET THE CANOPY OF THESE TWO TREES? AND IS THIS 14 COULD BE REDUCED TO GET LARGER TREES THAT GROW FASTER AND GIVE MORE SHADE AS OPPOSED TO 14 WANING TREES THAT WILL TAKE 180 YEARS TO GIVE THE SAME INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
I AM NOT GETTING MY HANDS, UH, CHAIR, UH, KEITH MARS AGAIN.
SO THE ANSWER, YOUR QUESTION ON THAT, THE TREES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED TO PLANT OUR FIVE-INCH CUP IT'S FREEZE THAT IS GENERALLY SPEAKING AS LARGE AS ONE CONSIGNED IN THE, THE, IN THE NURSERY TRADE.
THERE ARE ALSO ISSUES WITH THE LARGER, THE TREE.
GENERALLY, THE MORE PROBLEMS WE HAVE BELOW GROUND, UH, GIRDLING ROOTS, UH, STRUCTURALLY POOR TREES THAT AS TREES GET CONTAINERIZED AS WHAT WE DO IN TEXAS, THEY, THE GRUMMAN PLANTS, I'M GOING TO GET BIGGER.
YOU PUT ANOTHER POTS, UM, FIVE IS AS PRACTICAL AS WE CAN GO SHORT OF.
UH, THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE WE CAN, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY EXPLORE THAT WITH THE APPLICANT.
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT, BUT THEN ALSO PLAYING WITH THE UTILITIES IS A CHALLENGE, NOT TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION ON HOW LONG UNTIL WE OBTAIN SIMILAR OR COMPARABLE TO WHAT IS THERE, UM, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF TREES AND THE, AND WHAT'S PROPOSED, UM, MY ALL CAP OFF THE CUFF PROFESSIONAL ESTIMATE AND, UH, IS BETWEEN FIVE AND 10 YEARS, BUT I WILL ACTUALLY SAY, UH, NAOMI, THE CITY ARBORIST COMES THROUGH US FROM WORKING IN OTHER CITIES AND HAVING EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN STREET TREES.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR HER PROFESSIONAL OPINION ON WHEN WE MIGHT SEE COMPARABLE CAN COVER WITH THE TREES AND THE SOIL AS PROPOSED.
UM, CAROLYN, UH, I HAVE SEEN WITH THE USE OF SOIL CELLS WITHIN 10 YEARS, TREES GROW ABOUT THREE TIMES THE SIZE THAT THEY WERE PLANTED.
UM, AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON SOIL VOLUME.
AND IF YOU, ONE OF THE ASPECTS I DID IN THE PREVIOUS CITY THAT I WORKED FOR WAS POPULATE THE AMOUNT OF STORM WATER EVENTS WITHIN THE STORM WATER DEPARTMENT OR WATER DEPARTMENT.
IT'S AMOUNT OF WATER, STORM, WATER INTERCEPTION, AND THESE ARE WORKING TREES.
AND THAT 10 YEARS I CAN SAY CAN EASILY PLANT WILL EASILY CAPTURE ALL THE BENEFITS OF THAT ONE RED OAK.
AND, AND LIKE I SAID, THERE IS NOT MUCH THERE THERE'S A LIMITED AMOUNT OF LIFE LEFT IN THAT LARGE, VERY LARGE TREE, LARGE TREES ARE GREAT.
THIS IS ABOUT THE, I'M NOT ARGUING.
I'M TRYING TO GET THE CANOPY AND THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW EQUIVALENT THE EQUIVALENT OF THAT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS ONLY PICKING THE LONGEST LIVING TREES WAS THE CARE OF THE TREE CARE.
IS THAT SUFFICIENT, OR DO WE NEED TO ADD SUPPORT OUR YEARS TO THE TREE CARE FOR THIS MITIGATION GENTLEMEN? I THINK IT'S THE LONGEST TREE CARE I'VE SEEN, UM, IN, IN, IN ANY PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THAT'S A REAL BONUS AND THAT INCLUDES FERTILIZATION, IPM PEST MANAGEMENT, UM, UH, PRUNING STRUCTURAL PRUNING WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG.
SO AN EXAMPLE LIKE, AND THAT CANOPY THAT THAT'S ALMOST A LIFE FOR LIKE REPLACEMENT IN TERMS OF THE CANOPY, IF NOT MORE, THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, ISSUE WHEN YOU DO SPEND THAT MONEY AND PRUNE THAT TREE WHEN IT'S YOUNG, THAT, THAT RED OAK WOULD NOT HAVE THAT STRUCTURAL PROBLEM, IF IT WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED WHEN IT WAS YOUNGER.
UH, RIGHT NOW YOU, YOU CAN'T CUT OFF THAT, THAT LARGE LIN, UM, SORT OF, PARDON ME, I'VE REALIZED THAT I'M OVER THE OAK
[03:20:01]
TREE.I KNOW WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FROM BARRY FIXLER YOU HAVE ANY, OKAY.
AND MY QUESTION GOES BACK TO, UM, WHAT NAOMI WAS SAYING ABOUT MAINTENANCE.
UM, I HEARD YOU SAY HOW I GUESS PUBLIC WORKS CAN NOT MAINTAIN THE TREES.
UM, SO WHO DOES MAINTAIN THE TREES? THE MISSIONARY IT'S USUALLY, UM, THROUGH LICENSING AGREEMENTS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SHORT LIVED.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS RIGHT NOW IS REACTIONARY IN TERMS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE ICE STORM, UH, BUT REACTIONARY TO TREES IN THE RIGHT AWAY, FALLING DOWN, UH, THE PROBLEMS. SO THEY'RE MOST CITIES HAVE, UM, TREE CREWS THAT COME ALONG IN, IN YEARLY CYCLES EVERY FIVE, SEVEN YEARS AND PRUNE TREES.
UM, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DOES NOT, SOME CITIES DO HAVE LICENSING AGREEMENTS, BUT THESE LICENSING AGREEMENTS, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS IN THE CITY, DO NOT ENCOMPASS ALL THAT, UH, THE APPLICANT ON THIS PROJECT, IT'S PROPOSING COMPLETELY ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION.
UH, JUST ONE LAST, JUST ONE LAST COMMENT.
UH, DID I HEAR YOU SAYING THAT YOU COULD GO BACK AND WORK WITH, UM, DEVELOPING OUR OWN LOOKING AT SPECIFICALLY, UH, TREES THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE SHAPE? OR DID I MAKE THAT UP IN MY HEAD? UM, CHAIRWOMAN? YES.
UM, IT WAS THAT YOU MADE IT UP IN YOUR HEAD, BUT YES.
UM, THERE ARE MANY EXCELLENT SPECIES OUT THERE, UM, THAT CAN, THAT CAN GROW VERY FARTY, UM, AND PROVIDE A LOT OF CANOPY VERY FAST, ESPECIALLY WITH THE METHODS THEY'RE CHOSEN, SET OUT OVER.
IF WE COULD GET THAT AS A CONDITION, UH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I THINK CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE CITY ARBORIST ON, ON SPECIES TO THE ELECTION ON, UH, UM, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION, AND ALSO EVEN CALLING OUT THE MAINTENANCE, UH, COMMITMENT IN THE CONDITIONS.
I THINK THEY'RE ALL KEY THINGS.
AND I KNOW, UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, I SAW YOUR HEAD'S UP.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF THIS PASSES, IF WE COULD ADD TO, UH, THE MITIGATION, THE COSTS OF THE CARBON FOOTPRINT THAT THESE TREES WOULD REDUCE OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT, UM, AS LINDA WAS ASKING, WHEN WILL THEY COME UP TO SPEED TO DO THEIR WORK? SO, UM, I DUNNO IF THAT'S POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO DO THAT.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT IT.
JUSTIN, YOU CAN MEASURE CARDING, CARBON DUMPING AND LOADING.
UM, ONE OF, I CAN SAY THE TYPES OF REPLACEMENT TREES AND ALLOWING FOR ADEQUATE SOIL VOLUME FOR THEM TO GROW, WE, THAT WILL UPSET, UM, WHAT THAT ONE RED OAK IS DOING PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE, 10 YEARS.
UM, OR IF NOT AT THAT, CAUSE YOU'RE MEASURING CANOPY.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT UP TO, UM, TO ALL IN TERMS OF YOUR DECISION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT COMMENT.
VERY GET CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M OVER CLOSE THE SECOND
UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I DO NOT.
UM, ON ITEM FOUR, B WHEN CHESTER 10 FIELDVIEW AT 2,405 NEW STREET AND FIVE OH FOUR WEST 24TH STREET.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING REMOVAL OF TWO HERITAGE TREES, ONE WITH A SINGLE STEM OVER 30 INCHES IN DIAMETER.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE FEES TO BE A 25 INCH HERITAGE PECAN AND A SINGLE STEM 32 INCH HERITAGE, RIGHT AT RED OAK.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE CITY ARBORISTS RATES CON AND OAK IN POOR AND FAIR CONDITION RESPECTIVELY.
[03:25:01]
WHEREAS THE COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL STANDARD IS 300% AND MITIGATION FOR THE SITE SHALL BE ADDRESSED BY FURTHER ENHANCING THE STREETSCAPE PLANTING CONDITIONS REQUIRED UNDER THE, YOU KNOW, GREAT STREETS PROGRAM.THE APPLICANT HAS PROPOSED A MENU OF OPTIONS THAT SUPPORT GREATER TREE HEALTH AND LONGEVITY SUCH AS STRUCTURAL SOIL CELLS.
I'M ABLE TO PAVING AN EXPANDED CONTINUOUS PLANTING BEDS.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZE THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A FIVE-YEAR TREE CARE PLAN TO PROVIDE ONGOING MAINTENANCE FOR ALL NEW TREES AND ONE TIME IMPROVEMENTS TO ADDITIONAL STREETSCAPE TREES AND, UH, AND TREE GRATES AS NEEDED AND IDENTIFIED.
AND FINALLY, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT THE REQUEST MEETS THE CITY ARBORIST APPROVAL CRITERIA SET FORTH IN LDC 25 DASH EIGHT DASH SIX TWO FOUR A TWO.
AND THUS THERE, THE VARIANCE IS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
THEREFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE REQUESTED VARIANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
THE APPLICANT CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE CITY ARBORIST TO SELECT TREE SPECIES AND MAINTENANCE DETAILS TO PROMOTE THE FASTEST GROWTH AND LONGEST LIVE STREET TREATS.
SECOND, UH, SECOND CREEL CREEL.
THAT'S WHY SECOND MIGHT CREOLE.
UM, AND, AND DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION MR. ATOSSA? UM, COULD WE PLEASE ADD THE PART ABOUT THE CARBON EMISSION OFFSET BETWEEN THE CUTTING OF THESE TREATS, UM, AND THE OTHER TREES COMING ONLINE OR THE SAME AMOUNT? AND I THINK THE CITY ARBORIST WOULD BE THE ONE TO, UH, NEGOTIATE THAT WELL, JUST TO BE CLEAR AT THIS POINT, UH, WITH A SECOND, THIS IS, UH, THIS NODE CAIN IS PROBABLY OF THE FULL BODY, SO, UM, NO ONE WOULD BE ABLE TO BE OPPOSED TO THAT.
OTHERWISE I THINK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO OFFER A, UH, SUBSTITUTE MOTION, BUT IS ANYONE OPPOSED TO THAT ADDITION? OKAY, THANK YOU.
MADAM VICE CHAIR, IF I WOULD MAYBE TRY TO ARTICULATE IT HERE REAL QUICK.
UM, UH, WITH THE SECOND CONDITION THAT THE CITY ARBORIST DEVELOP, UM, AN ANALYSIS OF THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF THE EXISTING TREES VERSUS THE PROPOSED STREET TREES.
I MIGHT SAY, UH, CARDI SEQUESTERED OVER THE FOLLOWING SEVEN YEARS INSTEAD OF PROBING.
SO I WOULD SAY
YOU JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT THERE IS NO OBJECTION TO THAT AMENDMENT THAT YOU'VE JUST OFFERED, CORRECT.
UH, ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT AMENDMENT AND I SAW SOME NODS FROM THE ARBORIST, WHICH I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT LANGUAGE IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT MAKES SENSE.
EVERYONE MOVED AROUND ON MY SCREEN.
DID I GET EVERYONE? BRIMER SORRY, MR. BRENNER.
SO THAT MEANS MOTION PASSES, CORRECT.
JUST SAY SIX, TWO OR FIVE TO BELIEVE THAT WAS A SIX TO COUNT SOME OF THE TOO.
WELL, UH, WE'RE AT THE END OF THE AGENDA.
[Additional Item]
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE SOME TIME TO WELCOME OUR NEW COMMISSIONER RICHARD BRIMER, UM, CHAIR.I'M HAPPY TO DO A QUICK WELCOME AND THANK
[03:30:01]
YOU.AND, UH, I'M SURE YOU WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS AS WELL, BUT JUST WALK ON, UH, FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT'S EXCITING TO HAVE YOU ON THE COMMISSION.
WE'RE EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU.
WELL, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING IT AND I'M PLEASED TO HELP CONTRIBUTE WHAT I HAVE TO OFFER LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AS WELL.
AND PLEASE GIVE US A LITTLE OF YOUR BACKGROUND AND YOUR PREVIOUS WORK COMMUNITY WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH.
WELL, FOR SIX YEARS, I WAS PRESIDENT OF THE BULL CREEK FOUNDATION.
AND, UM, UH, SO I, THERE'S A HOTEL DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BEING WORKED ON UP IN THE BULL CREEK WATERSHED.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING TO OPPOSE THAT WITH MANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY UP HERE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW.
AND I'VE MET WITH MANY OF YOU ABOUT THIS, UH, OVER THE PAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS TO DISCUSS, UH, SOME OF THE POINTS ABOUT IT.
SO YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER ME, BUT I REMEMBER MANY OF YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING MET WITH YOU ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
SO, UH, I'VE BEEN ACTIVE IN THAT, UH, FOR A LONG TIME AND JUST OFF AND ON AND IN ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP BEFORE THE CITY, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST DIFFERENT, UH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP OVER THE PAST, UH, 30 YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED THIS TIME IN AUSTIN, I'VE GOTTEN INVOLVED IN, UH, VARIOUS, UH, THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP WELL, WELCOME.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS YEAR.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LATE ARRIVAL, BUT, UH, UH, I WAS, UH, STYMIED BY TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH, UH, CISCO WEBEX WEBEX.
IT HAPPENS, IT HAPPENS, PARDON THE INITIATION, UH, IN THIS BRUTAL ERA, BUT ALL RIGHT, SO OUR MEETINGS DON'T USUALLY RUN THIS LONG.
WE PERMANENTS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO KEEP YOU THIS LONG.
MOST OF THE TIME, SOMETIMES THEY CERTAINLY DO.
UH, WE NEED TO MOVE ON QUICKLY
[5. COMMITTEE REPORTS]
COMMITTEE REPORTS, UH, WHERE WE CLOSE OUT.UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT FROM COMMITTEES? YES.
COMMISSIONER OUR MANAGER JUST VERY QUICKLY.
I WANTED TO UPDATE YOU THAT THE PARKS BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ARE GOING TO HAVE A JOINT WORKING FOR IT, UH, TO LOOK AT THE, UM, DESIGNS, UH, THAT ARE COMING FORWARD WITH THE OLD STATESMAN BUILDING THAT, UH, SHOULD BE HITTING US IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS OR WITHIN A MONTH.
AND SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE FOR US TO JOINTLY COME TOGETHER AND LOOK AT THE GRAND PARK AND THE SHORELINE AND SEE IF WE COULD, UM, GET SOME, SOME MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS, UM, PROCESS.
ANY OTHER REPORT BACKS FROM COMMITTEES JUST REALLY BRIEFLY ENJOYED SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE? UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN TRACKING SOME LEGISLATIVE ISSUES RELATED TO CLIMATE, UM, AND GETTING REPORTS FROM BRIEF RECO, HAPPY TO UPDATE FOLKS OFFLINE, UM, ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
UH, I DID JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PUT ON HOLD TO GO TO COUNCIL, UH, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTING, UH, ESPECIALLY AS IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH CODE AND, AND BUDGET UPDATES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT, UH, ALAS WITH THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE IN, UH, WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY MORE GOALS, EYES, I MEAN, TARGETS ON OUR BED.
UM, SO THAT IS BEING PUSHED PROBABLY UNTIL THE END OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THAT'LL COME BACK UP AGAIN AND THAT WOULD BE LOOKING TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, BUT LOTS OF SETTING WORK COMING OUT OF THAT, INCLUDING EXPLORING SOME SORT OF TRANSPARENT DASHBOARD FOR TRACKING IMPLEMENTATION, UM, TO STARTING SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT ACCOUNTABILITY STRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE GOING INTO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE ADJOURN? ALL RIGHT.
DO I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN? AND I CAN REMEMBER THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN AT 9:38 PM.
Y'ALL AND WELCOME AGAIN, RICHARD.